


The Motherload

by radagastcar



Series: MotoGP [2]
Category: Motorcycling RPF, Motorsport RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, MotoGP, Motorcycles, Racing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:27:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 57,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26104189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radagastcar/pseuds/radagastcar
Summary: Maikki Kankkunen was at the top of her game in MotoGP - the only woman on the grid with the skill to ride in the premiere class. But a terrifying crash squashes her 2022 championship bid, leaving her sidelined through the latter half of the season and dousing a romance she had been kindling with Valentino Rossi for years.Can Maikki come back from a devastating injury that left her dead for three minutes? Does she have what it takes to continue to compete at the highest level of motorcycle racing, overcoming the blatant sexism of the industry?
Relationships: Valentino Rossi/Original Female Character(s)
Series: MotoGP [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1895953
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:  
> Title credit: Mastodon, “The Motherload”
> 
> Disclaimer: General explicit language, occasional sex scenes, some scary motorcycle crashes, I’ve never met any of these humans, written pre-COVID in 2018/2019.

The room was dark, and someone was holding her hand loosely, a head of soft curls rested against her forearm. Maikki stirred, noting that her breathing was unusually painful, and gave the hand in hers a squeeze to make sure she wasn't dreaming again. There had been so many dreams - she wasn't sure how long she had been asleep for. The last thing she remembered was getting ready to race, worrying about tires.

The man holding her hand lifted his head as he squeezed her hand tightly to his lips before he let go. She reached her fingertips out to touch his cheek, letting them trail down his nose, his lips. Her other hand was in a splint and mostly useless, with tubes sticking out from among the bandages. He had his own cast, she noticed, but she had to squint at it for a few long seconds to remember the word for the white plaster apparatus.

"I know you," Maikki murmured, trying to make the connection of the familiar face to the name. She had to turn her whole head to see him, because something was obstructing her vision on the right. Bandages. 

"Maikki? Can you talk English? Italian?" That voice. It was so fucking familiar. Maikki was frustrated that she couldn't think of the name she needed to through the haze of pain in her head. Why did it hurt so bad?

"I know you," She repeated in English, realizing that she knew this person didn't speak Finnish. She was Finnish, she knew. He wasn't. She should know his name. Why did she have such a massive headache? "What happened?"

"Vale, Maikki. I'm Valentino. Your teammate. You were in a motorcycle accident. Do you remember?"

"I remember you, Vale." She touched her fingers to his chin, where he caught them in his. Of course she remembered Vale, how could she forget those deeply blue eyes? "When?"

"A week and a half ago." He had something in his hand... a phone, she realized groggily.

"What are you doing?"

"Texting your parents, they are at the hotel." 

"Hotel?" The word gave her pause, and she rolled it over in her mouth for a moment as she held his hand, noting the IV in her arm. "That is... What?"

Valentino looked concerned, trying to figure out how to explain it to her in his second language. She really was having difficulty speaking and understanding - like her synapses were firing but they weren't quite connecting. It seemed like everything was having difficulty connecting in this dark, unfamiliar space. Maikki frowned, thinking.

"A place where people stay. That's not their homes. Does that... I'm sorry, Maikki."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Stellina, it... It was a bad crash. Nine bikes out. Do you know what I'm saying?"

"Yes. But no. Sometimes, your words... they don't make sense, Vale." He bent to rest his forehead against their clasped palms, his thumb stroking the side of her palm. "Fuck, I don't understand." 

Maikki felt helpless, even if she was comfortable aside from the pain in her head. Somehow, she also knew that she should be at least a little surprised that it was Valentino at her bedside. As he started to explain what had happened, she started to drift off, and when she opened her eyes again Valentino was talking with her parents. Them, she recognized immediately, but names were were hard.

"Vale?" He was at her side in an instant, gripping her hand tightly as he repeated their names for her quietly, making sure she knew. Her father settled into the chair on the other side of the bed as her mother frowned down at her, arms crossed over her chest. Juha and Pirjo had divorced more than a decade ago, and Pirjo had never approved of her eldest's decision to ride motorcycles for a living, and hated her tattoos, and now probably hated the state of her face. Fuck, why could she remember all of that, but couldn't easily recall her parent's fucking names?

"How did you sleep, cara mia?" Vale asked, patting the back of her hand gently. She didn't like the frown on his face, she knew. But she was starting to feel a little more clarity as she woke up from her nap, enough to start being angry at herself for not putting the pieces together on her own.

"Beauty sleep. Feel like I need it." She had run her hand over her face and knew it wasn't good. Though, logically, Maikki knew she had to have crashed out of a race, she wished she could remember what had happened. "What's the damage, mom? Am I pretty yet?"

She thought she sounded fine, but her teammate seemed to pause as he milled over her words. Her parents also looked concerned - well, her mother looked fucking furious, but Juha seemed equal parts upset and exhausted.

"What's wrong with me?" Maikki asked finally, looking from her parents to the blue-eyed man holding her hand. Valentino pursed his lips for a long moment before he finally spoke, his tone quiet as he stroked her forearm.

"Maikki, I think you've been speaking... every language you know. All at once" She frowned, thinking about what she had just asked.

"What does my face look like?" She asked after a moment, in what she hoped was all one language again. She couldn't tell which one, but she was pretty sure it was all one language.

"Well... The helmet did a little damage, hani," Her father said, glaring pointedly at her mother in a way that screamed that he wanted her to keep her mouth shut. "But you're just now starting to heal. It's been eight days."

"Why are you still with me?" Maikki asked Valentino, realizing instantly that she sounded callous. She had to think an incredibly long time to form her next sentence - had to form the words in her mind before they would get to her mouth. "I don't want to waste your time,"

"Oh, Maikki. You're not a waste of my time," his tone was fond, she realized as he squeezed her hand. Maikki closed her eyes and draped her elbow over her face, where she once again encountered the bandages. She knew they were there, but she relieved Vale of her hand so she could run it over them, tracing them back over her head to where the side of her hair had been shaved down to the skin.

"Oh, what the fuck," She let her hands fall into her lap after a series of swears that spanned all the languages she knew. As she did, the door clicked.

"You've just sworn your mother right out of the room," Juha muttered to his daughter, looking after the door as he rubbed his temples.

"Not unusual."

"Should I go get her?" Valentino asked, standing by Maikki's bedside.

"It's probably best she's gone. She knows Maik is alive and that's really all she cares about." Juha shrugged, looking at his phone. It was a surprise she was even there, to be honest. Especially with Juha. 

"Your mother is a bit of a..."

"Witch." Maikki finished, proud that she found the word Vale needed before he did. He seemed curious for a moment before he shook his head, still holding her hand in his. There was something to that, she knew, but she couldn't quite remember why the contact was significant.

"I don't want to get into this now. Maik, how do you feel?"

“My head hurts and it’s hard to talk.” She admitted after some thought, and considered for a moment longer. “And my chest hurts.”

“They re-inflated your lung. You have a broken wrist, and a few staples in your face,” Her father provided helpfully, reclining in the chair with his glasses on his nose, reading something on his phone.

"Show me."

"What?" Valentino raised a confused eyebrow, as Maikki repeated her request. Reluctantly, he pulled out his phone, navigating to Youtube. "Are you sure?"

"It's a crash." She said slowly, as Vale shifted to perch on the edge of the bed, holding the phone close to her. Maikki reached with her good hand to grip his cast, shifting him just a little further across her body so she could see better through her unblocked eye.

She frowned as Lorenzo wobbled, shot in front of her, and abandoned the bike that she immediately clipped and was sent sailing into the air. She could feel her bad wrist shaking as she watched it hit the tarmac, followed by her head, saw Dovi and Vale each slide out into the gravel to avoid hitting her as she tumbled. Pedrosa and Zarco went down, colliding with her tire. Maverick's spectacular slide.

"Fuck," She chewed her lip and restarted the video with a shaking hand. “Did anyone else...”

“Jorge and Mav have broken legs. Dovi broke an ankle. Pedrosa broke his collarbone. I fractured my wrist.” Valentino reclaimed his phone, stroking her shoulder gently. "We're all fine. They're worried after you,"

"I'm fine. You can tell them I'm fine. Or I can if you have my phone?" She realized that both her father and the Italian were looking at her, confused as they worked through her slow sentence. 

"I have it," Her father said finally, coming to her meaning first. "That time it was more Finnish," He said as an aside to Valentino, who nodded at Juha with a grimace of realization.

"What... do you mean?" Maikki asked, eyebrows kitted together for a millisecond before she realized how painful it was for the right side of her face.

"Maik, you're still kind of speaking a mix of languages." It also took her a moment to comprehend them when they spoke. "I don't get the Finnish."

"Brain damage?"

"Don't say that, Maikki," Juha pressed his hand to his daughter's shoulder. "You are not damaged."


	2. Chapter 2

As she so often did, Maikki stared at her face in the mirror before a shower, reliving the footage of her accident in her mind’s eye. The scar over the side of her face and the smattering of angry red pinpricks - like freckles, from her shattered face shield - stared back at her. She touched the scar under her breast, where the doctors had re-inflated her lung and popped a few horribly cracked ribs back into place. The horror show that stared back at her was starting to look a little more human as the staple marks in her head started to fade, but it wasn’t fantastic. 

Really, she was lucky. Maikki knew this. But even after four months of recovery at her father's home in Kuusamo, she didn't feel ok. She had been forced to bow out of the rest of the season, and could only stand on the sidelines and watch to support her team. She hadn't even given an interview about the accident, leading to speculation that she wasn't all there. The tabloids were vicious, and Valentino and Maverick could only defend their teammate so far before public speculation won out over facts. 

The public's reaction to her crash wasn't the most disappointing part, she realized now, three weeks after the last race in Spain. The most disappointing was watching Valentino climb onto the podium to receive his Championship trophy from the wrong side of the barrier. She felt separated from everyone, unable to communicate, unable to participate. Somehow, she knew she was making it worse for herself, too, but couldn't stop withdrawing.

Maik stepped into the shower, letting the hot water run over her scarred face.

"Maikki," Her father had knocked, but she ignored him until he cracked the door to call out to her. She grunted an answer through her shampoo, scrubbing at the sides of her semi-shaved head. The doctors had shaved the side of her head, and with her stylist's help Maik had managed to turn the fresh regrowth into a sidecut in her bright blonde hair. Thank god for Christina.

"When you're done, I'd like to talk to you," He called, and she affirmed that she had heard him as she spread conditioner on her hair, and oil on her scars to try to treat them. It wouldn't hurt, she had been told, but it probably wouldn't help much either. Maikki would always have a jagged, sideways cross-shaped scar from temple to below her cheekbone, and from just below the corner of her eye to just behind her ear. 

She squeezed the moisture out of her hair as she wandered past her reflection to dress. In a pair of leggings and a loose-fitting sweater she made her way out to the kitchen, perching on the cold marble counter as her father stirred sugar into a cup of tea. She had crammed her running shoes onto her feet, letting the laces dangle as she waited for her father to speak.

"Would you like one?"

"No, thank you." She draped the towel over the nearby bar stool, running her fingers through her thick blonde hair to tease out the knots, avoiding the shorn side like it would somehow be a worse reminder to run her fingers over it than to make the effort to maneuver around it. "What's up?"

"Valentino called."

"Called for me, did he leave a message?" She cast around for her phone, which she had been pretty sure she had used to listen to music in the shower. It was one of the ways she was working on using the proper language when she spoke, listening to music in the languages she knew before the crash so she could more easily tell the difference. Basically, Maikki just had her headphones in or music blaring all the time - cutting herself off from the world just a little more. She was about to check her messages when Juha spoke.

"No, Maikki, he called me. Says you haven't been talking to him - or anyone from Yamaha. Maik, why are you pushing them away? You used to talk to Valentino every day." She remained silent, staring at her father levelly. She felt a little bit attacked, but couldn't find the words to express how she felt. Her therapist had told her that in those moments where she was hesitant to speak, she should ask people to stop talking until she could work through what to say, but this didn't seem like one of those moments. Deep down, her father was right. "You can't run from this, kiddo. This is your life."

Juha looked tired as he ran his hands through his shock of white-blonde hair, his sharp blue eyes closed. Maikki blamed herself for the years on her father's face - even before the crash, before she had come back home to stay with him since her release from the hospital in September.

She had spent a lot of the time since crying. Crying because of her face. Crying because of how much of the season she had lost. Crying because she was scared of getting back on the bike. Crying over the pictures Vale sent her from Ibiza - which was supposed to be her trip. Her trip with him. 

"You sound like you have something you're about to tell me," She spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. Sometimes it was still difficult for her to form sentences from her thoughts, which was frustrating some days, and infuriating most others. Maikki focused on tying her running shoes carefully, thinking about each cross of the lace before she did it. The first time she had tried to go for a run, months ago, she had ended up a frustrated, crying mess on the trail when a shoelace came undone because she had been unable to remember the motions or even the song about tying her shoes she had learned as a kid - and ended up with a knotted mess on top of her trainers.

"I think you should go to the Ranch. I told Rossi you would."

"That is not fair,"

"He's expecting you in a few days." The former Rally champion stared at her over the rim of his teacup. "You should start to pack."

"I feel like you're kicking me out, dad,"

"I'm just trying to help. If you still don't want to race after a few weeks at his ranch, you can come home. I won't ask questions. But I think you need to ride, Maikki."

Sullen and quiet, she hopped down from the counter and snatched her towel off the chair, clenching her fist against the slight shake of her left hand as she stalked off. A shake that was going to make driving anything difficult.

After a long run around the property in the increasingly heavy snowfall, Maikki returned to her room and started to pack.


	3. Chapter 3

Maikki's arrival back in Tavullia was received with little pomp and circumstance. She had called a cleaning service visit her little apartment in nearby Cattolica so it was ready for her return, and Valentino picked her up at the small airport. There was a decided lack of paparazzi - Tavullia and its surrounding cities were something of a safe haven for riders in that sense, because the town both revered and respected Vale so much. There was never any shortage of people looking for his autographs, though. 

She had fretted the entire time, thinking about the agreement she and Valentino had about August - an agreement that had never taken flight because of her injuries. Maik had wondered what he thought of her, now that she was damaged goods. It was all part of the reason why she had been avoiding him. She had seen him at races - she had been able to go to the last three races as a spectator, which was incredibly painful for the injured rider. So she had chosen to keep her distance from the other riders. They’d only ask her when she was coming back, anyway, and Maikki didn’t have an answer for that. 

She wanted to ride. She needed to. She was terrified of getting back on the bike.

"Mia stellina!" The MotoGP Champion caught her in his arms, squeezing the smaller woman tightly into his chest. She felt like a kid fresh from school, with her backpack and small rolling suitcase, wrapped in the gangly man's tight embrace. At the same time, she didn’t want him to let go as she breathed in his familiar scent and he scratched her back gently. "Let's see you, how are you healing?"

"You saw me, like, two weeks ago," Maikki protested, but let Vale turn her head by the chin so he could look at her scar before he ruffled her hair and led the blonde rider out to his car, tucked under his arm. He had ridden over in the fucking Ferrari, which stuck out like a bright yellow sore thumb in the parking lot.

"What if I had a bigger bag?" She asked with a smirk, pushing the seat all the way back so that she could balance her small rollerboard between her feet, her backpack on her knees. Valentino shrugged.

"It could be a trailer," He joked, shifting easily through gears as he drove her to her apartment in the city center of Cattolica, a fifteen minute drive from the rider's home in Tavullia. Valentino certainly was a spectacle on a motorcycle, but he had a knack for cars, too. Maikki tried to ignore the obvious turn-on. He trailed behind her with her little bag as she bounded up the stairs to the fifth floor and let herself in. 

Maikki’s apartment was styled simply, in a palette of gray and white, with a tall ceiling and bespoke crown molding. The building was classical, and it showed in the original wood floors she had managed to save when the place was remodeled. She hadn't realized how much she had missed the space, but she still wasn't sure if she was ready to be alone in it. Not yet.

“You know, I’ve never been here before,” Vale was inspecting the art on the walls, moving toward her race memorabilia collection in its tall case, which was probably larger than it should have been. “It’s nice.”

“Thanks,” Maik managed as she quickly sorted through months worth of mail, tipping most of it into the bin before she walked into the bedroom. 

“Do you want me to wait for you?”

“Well I don’t have a car,” 

“You have your bike,” Maikki looked up at Valentino pointedly, an eyebrow raised. “We’re not there yet. Ok.”

“I’m doing my best,” She murmured, plopping her small suitcase on the bed. When she was off track she tended to rock the athleisure trend pretty hard, and had needed few street clothes for her recovery in snowy Kuusamo so unpacking and repacking was pretty easy. 

“How are you going to come back and forth? Or do you want to stay with me?”

“I...” The question made Maikki pause as she sorted through her collection of leggings, looking up at Valentino. It was hard to be frank with him, but she needed to be, so she searched for the words, feeling helpless. “I don’t want to be alone. Not yet.”

"Maik, are you ok? Really?" He looked concerned from the doorway. Maik's instinct was to say she was fine, but her therapist had told her that was - shockingly - not helpful. 

"It's hard, Vale. Some days. If I get thinking too fast, if I try to talk without thinking, my words get all... jumbled."

"Like just now?"

"And I apparently don't know when it happens," She added, perching on her bed in a frustrated huff, her head in her hands. "Ei vittun, it's so embarrassing,"

"Maikki, it's ok, really. It doesn't help to isolate yourself," When she glanced up at him he looked torn, like he couldn't decide if he would be invading her personal space if he just plopped down on the bed with her. With a sigh Maikki let herself flop back onto the bed, her hands still over her face. Her left hand had started to shake, and she lifted it up to stare at it.

"And then there's this shit," She watched the tremor until one of Valentino's calloused paws closed over it. He had crossed the room, leaning with his hips against the bed on her left so he could grab her hand, turning it over in his. Vale traced the scar with his thumbs like he was massaging her wrist, pressing against the twitching muscle that was making her hand shake.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Maik. We've all been through it." He wrapped his hands around hers, squeezing hers hard as he massaged her palm. "And you're not alone."

She looked up at him as he rubbed her palm, feeling exhausted by the palpable sexual tension of the moment. She had reckoned that he was no longer interested in what she had taken to thinking of as the "August Agreement" because she no longer resembled the underwear-modeling MotoGP rider she once did. She was a horrifically scarred monster, and was still slightly puffy from the steroids she had only recently been able to stop taking despite her best efforts. After a second's hesitation, she reached up to caress his cheek, running her thumb over his cheekbone. He closed his eyes against her palm and pressed his lips against the heel of her hand. But it was over quicker than it lasted, as Vale pulled her to her feet.

"Come on, Maik, let's get going." He still held her hand with both of his, grinning. "If you're staying at my place, you're cooking!"

"But... Oh, fine. Let's go to the grocery store." Maik swapped out some of her clothes quickly and threw her knives into their carrying case and into her roller board to follow Vale out of her apartment.


	4. Chapter 4

Insomnia and night terrors were one of the side effects Maikki had dealt with entirely on her own, simply because no one was ever up when she awoke in the middle of the night, heart pounding, limbs splayed like she was experiencing the crash all over again. Her first night back at Valentino's house was no different.

He had put her up in one of the rooms down the hall from his that happened to be empty - the one Axel usually stayed in when he was at the Ranch. The irony that it had been that particular room that was empty was not lost on Maikki. At least it wasn't the one where she had spent that fateful night with Guy.

A lot of his Sky Team riders stayed at his house because of the vicinity to the training area literally a minute's walk away. Vale had built himself a beautiful complex in Tavullia, and it was every young motorcyclist with dreams of racing GP's goal to train there. Or at least, most of them. The youngest of these, who were in the Sky Academy, stayed in a separate house that was set up much more like a dorm for the ten or so youths that were around the ranch at any given time to learn from Valentino. Maikki had never been able to fault the riders who stayed with Vale - even though sometimes their visits bordered on years. In her experience at the ranch, everything had always been incredibly convenient, which was a benefit for everyone's training. There was no excuse to miss a session at the gym with Vale’s trainer Carlo, or to skip a lap on the bike, even to not be around to support one's teammates.

In all her years being friends with Valentino, the only facility she had never used at his house was the television, Maik realized as she stared at the array of remotes which was baffling to her still-sleepy mind.

It had taken a few minutes, but Maik had managed to turn on the big screen in the living room. She kept the sound down as she worked out the PlayStation that Vale used to play movies before she navigated to his movie collection. Hitting the Apex was on the list, and partially watched. Smiling to herself, Maikki hit play and wrapped herself in one of the lush blankets on the couch, settling in with her phone in hand and the TV on low volume.

She thought maybe she would escape notice, but that went out the window when Nicolo - one of Vale's Moto2 riders - came out of his bedroom.

"Do you need me to turn it down?" Maik asked, fiddling with the remote to find the volume button.

"No, I'm just getting water," Nicolo murmured, seemingly still half asleep as he bumped his way to the kitchen, which was open to the living room. 

Maikki's phone buzzed in her hand.

‘Is that you?’ Maik had half-expected a quip about her sleeping with his riders again.

‘Go back to sleep, old man.’ It was much easier to type than speak since her injury, Maikki had found. She could tap out texts with ease that would have been tongue twisters otherwise, just like her gentle tease at Vale was. 

Instead of taking her advice, it seemed Valentino had gotten out of bed - he ran into Nicolo in the hallway with a grunt, and emerged into the living room in a pair of gym shorts, his curls disheveled. He sunk into the couch next to Maikki, his head leaned back on the cushions but rotated toward her as he grabbed her foot through the blanket she was curled beneath. She raised an eyebrow as he sussed out the limb, rubbing the arch of her foot with two calloused thumbs.

"Why are you up?" He asked, his voice husky from sleep.

"Why are you?" It came out more defensively than she meant to, and she set her phone to the side, resting it on the arm of the couch.

"I'm an old man. I had to get up for the bathroom and heard the television." Vale shrugged. He had always used that tactic with her - if he asked a question and she shot it back, he would answer it frankly, which almost always made her answer.

"Night terrors."

"Aw, cara mia," He sought out her other foot to rub, looking concerned. "Bad?"

"I'm not asleep," She said, by way of answering his question. It was more difficult than just saying duh, but she needed to exercise her language-addled brain as often as possible. He sighed, sitting up and reaching for the PlayStation controller, fast-forwarding through the middle of the documentary, which dealt with Marco Simoncelli. Maikki admired the man as he leaned with one elbow on his knee and the controller dangling loosely between his legs, the other hand making a valiant effort to push his hair out of his face. It was a losing battle. "Vale?"

"Yeah?"

"How did you cope? When Marco..." she hadn’t been around then, not as much. She had just started riding in Moto3. Actually, it was probably Simoncelli’s death that led Vale to take her under his wing. 

"Poorly." When she set down the controller, she realized his hands were shaking slightly. Slowly, she unwrapped the blanket from around her shoulders and reached for him, pulling him to her chest. His skin was warm against hers as he nestled his curly head firmly under her chin, like it was an effort for him not to bury it against the sports bra covering her chest. Because she was in the mood to be frank, she reminded herself that she would have let him. Vale wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her torso to his chest.

"Booze and women. Once I comforted his family, I couldn’t comfort myself." He breathed deeply against her collarbone as she tentatively wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling the blanket with them to wrap under his chin. They shifted so he laid on her, her legs outstretched and back against the pillows and the arm of the couch. It was intensely intimate, she realized as she let her nose press into his curls. "And when I saw you flying in front of me... That's why I went down. You know I was the one who hit him,"

"Vale,"

"That's reality, Maikki. He made a mistake. Colin and I couldn't get out of the way. Jorge... made the same mistake. And you didn't hit him."

"That's enough, Valentino. It is not the same," Maikki realized she was speaking Finglish again, and had to repeat herself more slowly in Italian as the anger that had bubbled up inside her started to recede. "We all know the risks, hani. And there are no crashes the same."

She had surprised herself by using a pet name - while Vale always called her 'cara mia' or 'stellina,' she had never take to calling him anything but Valentino or Vale, sometimes Sininen. Hani meant something to the effect of sweetie in Finnish, and Maikki was truly perplexed that her language-addled mind had chosen to bust that one out. Meanwhile, Valentino held her closely, his arms under her back and his face pressed against her chest. Maik stroked his hair gently, tousling the curls.

"You and your infinite wisdom," He murmured against her skin, sending goosebumps shooting across her skin as his lips brushed against her sternum. "Cold?"

"No," Fuck, she wished the lying part of her brain was quicker on the draw. He knew exactly what he was doing, too, as he quoted what she knew to be past conversations. She felt his smile spread across her chest for a moment before he started to shift to sit up. "No,"

It was an impulsive decision, and wasn’t entirely fair to him after everything she had put him through for years - the fact that she had decided that they shouldn’t ever get together for reasons that now seemed so silly, the fact that August never happened for them. The insanely close distance. It wasn’t fair but it was what she wanted. Had wanted. Her knock on the head had shaken all the wires loose, and she was still trying to figure out what she should try to reconnect and what she should let go. Caring what people thought about her career was something she should absolutely let go - and the effect that obsession had on her relationships should go with it. 

She had been ready to let it go before the accident. Why should that change?

He didn't say anything, but turned his head so he could see the television, shifting a hand from her shoulder blades to the small of her back.

"Have you thought about it?" His breath was a whisper across her chest, his lips brushing against the soft skin left exposed by the slouchy tank top she wore. 

"About what?"

"About August." Maikki was quiet as she slipped a hand into his curls, teasing them with her fingers while the other rested on his back. He seemed content to let her process his questioning, his arms wrapped around her on the couch.

"I have," She murmured after a long minute, staring at the television rather than the rider in her arms.

"And?"

"I didn't think you were interested any more."

"What gave you that idea?" He turned his head to nuzzle his face into her skin, his eyelashes fluttering gently against her chest.

"I don't know, Vale. I feel like a monster."

"You don't look like one, but why would that matter?" He shifted to prop his chin on his hands, an elbow on either side of her torso. He watched her for a long moment, his bright blue eyes shining in the light of the movie, before he shifted to lean on one elbow, reaching for her cheek with his free hand. "You're still my cara mia, right?"

"Yes," Her response was breathless as he shifted to lay with his head above hers, looking down at her.

"Then be my cara mia," Valentino pressed his lips against her cheek, his hand cupping her jaw. His thumb pressed against her lower lip, pulling it down just slightly so the tip of it caught on her teeth. 

Tentatively, feeling butterflies the size of pterodactyls battering around in her stomach, Maikki turned her face toward his. He planted his lips on the corner of hers, his stubble scraping across her cheek as she turned just a little further in his arms. The scrape of his lips against her cheek, the skin next to her lips, was so familiar. It had happened so many times before - in greetings, in tense, private moments in his kitchen, in hotels around the world. Every time she told herself she shouldn’t. 

Tonight, she would finally have what she had denied herself so long.

Valentino pulled back, still cupping her chin and his thumb caressing her lip as he gazed into her eyes, a wry smile playing across his lips. Feeling impatient, Maikki pushed forward against his hand, pressing her mouth against his smile. 

His lips were so soft, so gentle - startled really. The touch of his lips to hers after so long, after all the teasing and the distractions, the distant closeness... it made her shiver under his touch even though his skin was warm on hers. Maikki’s moan was quiet, but that quiet breath was the discharge of years worth of electricity, desire, and denial. She reached to push her fingers into his disheveled curls, finding them soft and yielding to her touch. 

This. This was everything she wanted. She needed to make it last - in more ways than one, her brain reminded her belatedly. 

He chuckled against her lips, but pressed her down against the pillow as she dug her fingers into his hair, holding each other close. Maikki was hard pressed to think of a sweeter moment - she had wanted him for so long. His touch was tender, but insistent, like he was holding himself back. Which was a good thing, Maikki wasn't sure she was willing to jump from first kisses to sex on his couch quite so quickly. Not with Valentino. She refused to give him everything in one night. 

"What are you laughing about, mia stellina?" He asked, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. It was like he didn't want to pull away - and she absolutely didn't want him to.

"Nothing," She murmured, still reaching for his lips. He had quirked an eyebrow at her, his eyes half-closed. Hesitantly, she relayed her thought to the Italian, who laughed against her cheek.

"No, I think not tonight," He murmured, his lips against her ear as he toyed with her industrial piercing with his teeth. "But I'm not letting you leave just yet,"

"Please don't," Maik closed her eyes, trying to memorize the feeling of his stubbly cheek against hers. 

As they kissed, the movie ended, and shunted them to some horrible low-budget documentary about motocross that sent Vale reaching for the controller. He settled his head on her chest as he started looking for something new to watch, but his search slowed and she felt his eyes start to slip shut. Soon, he fell into the even, slow breaths of sleep against her chest. Maik let her fingers slide through his curls, a hand on his back. He was warm and surprisingly heavy - like an upgraded version of the weighted blankets she was encouraged to use to control her anxiety. 

She let her hand stay in Valentino’s thick curls the other on the middle of his back, twitching the blanket over them both before she tried to focus on finding something new to watch. Tried and failed to focus. 

Maikki managed to fall asleep that way, and for once, didn't have a single bad dream for the rest of the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Maikki's eyes popped open when something shifted on top of her - and she abruptly remembered where and with whom she had fallen asleep last night. Valentino sat up on the couch next to her, rubbing his eyes with one hand before he glanced over at her as she shifted.

"Figured it's best to get up before the kids do," He murmured, helping her to her feet. 

As she stood, Maikki stretched her hands to the ceiling and rose on her tiptoes like she did any time she woke up, her joints popping and creaking as she did. As she reached upward, Vale wrapped his arms low around her ribs, pressing his face into the crook of her neck. Maikki had half-expected he would be distant after a whole night curled in each other’s arms. Throwing all of that mental anguish to the wind, she let her arms drape across his shoulders as she sunk back to the earth, touching her lips to his and feeling like she had a million things to say but also none at all.

He was so warm.

"You're on for breakfast?" He asked finally, his face still pressed into her neck. She couldn't help but giggle at the incongruity of the statement, the way goosebumps spread from the touch of his lips against her skin. Obviously he was enjoying this.

"If you let me go shower," Slowly, he straightened, an arm still around her waist and hand on her cheek, stroking it with his thumb. He seemed to consider for a minute, his eyes searching her face, before he bent to press his lips against her forehead, holding her tightly. 

They were slow to part, and he let his hands trail across her skin as she brushed past, making her way down the hallway to her room in a haze. She was letting him get away with so much, but the fact that he was actually doing something, being so close to her, touching her in a way that made her burn for him and couldn’t have felt much different for him... it was a lot to try and get a handle on. 

Some time later, she emerged to the kitchen with her hair in a ponytail, an over-sized MK66 shirt slung over her shoulder in case she needed to protect herself from any grease. She had a pot of coffee on and had two trays of bacon in the oven before anyone joined her.

"... saw them together last night."

"Fucking finally, right? She's a hot piece of -" Miguel and Nicolo stopped short in the hallway, staring at the woman standing in the kitchen with a very, very sharp knife in hand.

"Oh, don't stop on my account." Maikki intoned slowly, coring a green pepper with practiced ease as she spared the pair a glance. "You were just getting to the good part."

She continued to chop the pepper into a fine dice for an omelette as the boys fell silent, brushing past the kitchen island to grab a mug of coffee each. 

"Stellina, is that bacon I smell?" Barefoot and in a pair of warm-looking sweats, Valentino glided into the kitchen. He stole a sip of Maikki's coffee with a hand on the small of her back, but stopped when he noticed the shell-shocked looks on Miguel and Nicolo's faces and Maikki's angry frown. "Oh, no. It's too early in the morning for drama."

Maikki shrugged as she scraped her veggies into the pan to sautee for a few minutes before she tucked them into the massive omelette she planned to make. Realizing he wasn't going to get a peep out of her, Vale turned to the riders waiting on the other side of the massive kitchen island.

"Word to the wise, don't piss off a woman holding a big knife."

Maikki's breakfast came together quickly, just in time for another pair of riders - Romano and Andrea, from Moto3 - to drift into the kitchen. 

"Where's Mav?" She asked, presenting the omelette to the team on a large plate with serving utensils.

"He doesn't come until after breakfast. But I'm sure that will change when he hears you're cooking again," Valentino shrugged, passing her a plate. Maikki refused. 

"I need to go for a run."

"But it will be cold, then," Valentino eyed her suspiciously, but Maikki brushed past him as she walked back to her room for her tennis shoes, resisting the urge to rest her hands on his bare shoulders as she called behind her.

"Microwaves."

She had a lot to think about on her run, a very troubled mind that didn't feel any more clear after a few miles around the Ranch. Because she had so rarely spent the night there - and when she did, it was usually for reasons that didn't coincide with working out at all - Maik almost got herself lost on Vale's running trail and ended up huffing and puffing her way up the long drive back to the house after looping out onto the road.

Maikki skipped the meal when she returned, opting for a slice of cold leftover bacon. She could hear the guys put-putting around the track on dirt bikes, but decided to shower instead of go out and see them. She had a lot to think about - meals to dream up, her fear of getting back on the bike and failing... Valentino's lips on her skin.

Fuck that man, she thought, angrily. The thought was followed up with the question - but what would that be like?

God she couldn't think about that, she was still having too much trouble wrapping her head around last night. He had just broken up with yet another model girlfriend earlier that month - one in a long line of tall, leggy brunettes that he had picked up in Ibiza. That had been a bit of a shock, and felt similar to betrayal. Shorter, blonde Maikki did not fit the description of leggy brunette model, either. There was no way that whatever this was would last. But she could still feel the phantom of his fingers tracing down her back, the spots where his lips sent goosebumps racing across her skin...

Maikki was still frustrated with herself in more ways than one as she made her way back to the kitchen to start her meal prep for lunch. She had everything for vegetarian gyros that the boys would probably enjoy, and fuck them if they didn't. She tried to ignore the voices coming down the hall, excited about each pass, the gnarly wipe out that had put Vale and Mav on their asses in a corner. 

"Why didn't you come out, Maik?" Vale asked as he laid a stinging blow on her ass with his dusty jersey. The six of them were wearing dirt-covered motocross gear, mainly shirtless as they came in from outside. She managed to catch the jersey when it came in for the second blow and yanked it out of Valentino's shocked hands, balling it up to throw in his face. Aside from her inability to bring herself to ride anything with a larger displacement than a bicycle, it was almost like old times to Maikki. 

"I didn't want to," She replied, ducking under Maverick's arm to pull a pan off the heat before she wrapped her teammate in a hug. It still had been only three weeks, but she missed the kid and his wry sense of humor.

The rest of the group filed out of the kitchen after lunch, leaving her with Mav and Vale as they helped her clean up.

"You should come out, Maik!" Maverick had just finished scraping debris of plates, passing them to Valentino to put in the dishwasher.

"Let me clean up these pans and I'll see." The answer was good enough for Maverick, but Vale trailed behind, leaning on the counter with his arms crossed.

"Maikki, we can wash pans later,"

"They'll be all crusty then." 

Valentino's hands closed around her shoulders and he turned her to face him, his eyebrow lifted. His big, blue eyes were pleading as they bore into hers.

"Please?"

"God, stop doing that!" Frustrated, she pushed his hands off her shoulders to grab a towel. They had been too close for too long for him to not realize what his hands on her shoulders felt like - especially in the context of last night.

"Stop what?"

"Vale, I don't know," Her tone had escalated - and she realized she was probably speaking in multiple languages, but she didn't care. She was so confused. There was too much going on in her life and she was overwhelmed by it. He looked perplexed as he tried to suss out her meaning from the languages he understood when she didn't stop to explain herself. It wasn't difficult for her to clang around in the kitchen, showing she was upset until he finally put the pieces together.

"Oh, cara mia. Are you having second thoughts?"

"It's... hard not to. Sitting by myself." She danced away from his touch, holding a cutting board that she intended to dump in the sink. "Valentino, I have too much on my mind right now to be -"

His hand was on the side of her face, his lips pressed against hers, stunning her into silence. He pulled the cutting board from her hands, setting it on the counter behind her so he could wrap her up into his chest. She didn't know what to do with her hands for a long moment before she let them sneak up his sides, holding his ribs somewhat awkwardly. Maikki let her eyes shut, ignoring the small voice screaming about teammates and the "hot piece of ass" comment from Miguel - about all the reasons they weren’t already together that she had dragged around for so many years. There was only the feeling of his lips pressed against hers, his arms around her.

God, she was a moron. After their time together on the couch, how could she ever have thought this wasn't exactly what she wanted?

It might have been minutes before they pulled apart, Maikki staring up in wonder at the eleven-time world champion who grinned down at her.

"Have I ever given you something to be confused about?"

"But... now... it's worse..." She managed, trying to calm her confused mind, trying to make sense of it all, parsing through the reasons they had never gotten together out loud for the first time since that night in Germany, so long ago. "All those reasons... You are my teammate."

"So?"

"You're a playboy."

"And you're not?"

"You're fifteen years older than me."

"And?" His grin was patient, the light of laughter dancing in his eyes as he waited for her to run out of excuses.

"I still do not want to be Valentino Rossi's conquest." That one took her a long time to form, and she bit her lip after asking it, as his thumb traced the edge of her cheekbone.

"I don't want you to be. We've been over this." Vale sighed, leaning back against the lip of the sink, guiding her to stand between his splayed legs. "How many times have I told you, I'm an old man, I'm done with the bimbos."

"Mildly backhanded," 

"I didn't mean it to be, Maikki. God, I have wanted you, but it's never been the right time. But when I watched you crash... It's never going to be the right time. So here I am." He ran his hand through her hair, pulling the side up to look at her scar, brushing a thumb across it.

"Is that why you brought me back here?" Maik asked, eyes narrowed. Why did she distrust him so much in this moment? He had been so tender last night - but, it wasn't like she was being irrational. She had so many fucking reasons to be skeptical.

"I brought you here to get you on the bike again, cara mia." He held her forearms gently, as if to let her pull away if she wanted to. She didn't. "I wasn't going to do anything intimate. August didn't happen, but... But when I came to get you at the airport, I realized I shouldn't wait any more. I don't want to wait. Life is too short."

She had that very phrase tattooed in Finnish down the side of her forearm, and it was one that was thrown around in MotoGP a lot. Because it was true. The riders knew it possibly more than anyone else - living on the edge, flirting with death every time they started the bike. 

"Life is too short," Maikki repeated in Finnish, moving her forearms from his grasp to hold either side of his face. She stared into his bright blue eyes for a long moment, before she leaned in to brush her lips against his, fitting their bodies together by his kitchen sink.


	6. Chapter 6

"I haven't driven anything since the accident."

"Nothing?"

"Not even a bicycle." Maikki admitted to Maverick, who leaned against one of the practice dirt bikes as Maikki shrugged into her chest protector. Valentino's kisses had been the motivation she needed - or had proven distracting enough - to send her out to the track to wriggle into her motocross outfit. Even though she was just getting on a little bike, she didn't want to take unnecessary risks. 

"I'll training wheels you," Mav offered, watching as Vale rode her almost comically small 125cc dirt bike through the garage. For her, it wouldn't look quite so small, he had a good few inches of height on her. Which had been incredibly nice when he kissed her. God, she had to focus. She couldn’t afford to break a limb in a dumb dirt bike accident on top of all of the other bullshit she was recovering from. 

“Just have an ambulance on speed dial. In case I go for a matching set,” She gestured to her temple, smiling grimly. Maik zipped on her gloves as Mav tapped her motocross helmet down onto her head, slapping the top after he had done up the chin strap.

“So here is the clutch,” Valentino joked, holding the handlebars as Maikki threw a leg over the narrow bike. She extended her middle finger - which was tattooed with the Finnish word for clutch - before realizing she had her glove on, which ruined her point. She frowned inside her helmet.

“Oh, shut up, il Dottore” 

Of course, the very first thing Maikki did at the de facto start line of the motocross track was dump the clutch, and the bike leaped forward before it stalled. She let a long string of vulgar curses slip from her lips as she leaned down to pull out the kick start, and continued swearing as she kicked the bike over. 

She needed to be angry so she wouldn’t think about being scared. 

Again, Maikki took off faster than she should have, trying to outrun the fear. The dirt track would be forgiving if she fell but she was really trying to avoid...

As if they heard her, Maikki’s tires slid out from under her on the third corner that led into the whoops section, and she found herself laying on her side as if she were cornering - just with no bike. She scrambled to her feet, knocking against her chest protector and running hands down her arms to make sure she was intact as she went for the bike. As she pushed it up, she saw Mav and Vale making their way toward her, and she shook her head as she kicked over the engine again, looping around the whoops to try the corner again. 

This time, she went around tidily, sending up a cloud of dust and dirt in her wake. The whoops section was a matter of rhythm and nothing like MotoGP at all, but the sensation of flying sent a familiar chill up her spine. In a good way. 

Maikki took two laps before she stopped, grinning through her helmet as she tore off her gloves. Mav caught her handlebars, and Valentino worked at the strap under her chin, pulling the helmet off her head as she held her hands out in front of her. They shook. 

“Are you ok, mia stellina?” Valentino asked his face a mix of concern and excitement. 

“Bigger bikes. Now.”

"You're ready for a big boy bike? Already?" Mav joked, as he started to pull his jersey on over his head. Valentino grinned wolfishly at her, punching her shoulder.

"What did I tell ya? Can I hitch a ride back to the garage?" The gangly man didn't wait for her permission as he threw a leg over the tiny bike, his toes skimming the ground.

"Oh, wait, what?"

"Sorry, Mav, only room for two," Maikki grinned as Vale lifted his toes off the ground, and she took of toward the garage, her helmet balanced on her lap. She felt a little thrill as he wrapped an arm around her waist, holding on to her tightly with his chin on her shoulder. As she rounded into the garage to put the small bike back up, he kissed her cheek.

"See, cara mia? I bet you'll beat me this season."

"Oh, I doubt that." He clambered off the bike to kick the stand under the center as Maikki lifted the back. As soon as they had the bike balanced on the box, he reached for her face to plant a quick kiss on her lips, his fingers behind her ear. He was trying to make up for years of lost time - they both were, really.

"Where's my kiss?" Maverick called from the garage door. Damn, she had thought they had another moment alone. "Something you want to tell me, guys?"

They pulled apart, and Maikki went for the nearest 450cc, which was one of her #66 Yamahas. Almost all of her bikes lived at the ranch, like Vale's and a few of Mav's, but because she let Valentino use them to train the Sky Team on, sometimes they weren't in the best state of repair.

"Aw, what the fuck," Maikki pulled her chest protector over her head, staring at the mess that was the exhaust system, which laid on the ground under the bike. "I was really hoping for a quick fucking getaway there,"

Both Maverick and Valentino stared at her for a minute, trying to work through her sentence. She knew she had been speaking a conglomeration of languages because she was stressed - embarrassed, really. She let them figure out what she had just said as she assessed what she needed to reassemble her exhaust - it was like someone was just practicing how to take it off and put it back on again, she mused as she stared at the shining FMF system on the ground.

"Quick getaway," Valentino murmured as she stripped off her jersey, picking up a few screwdrivers and a wrench from the tool bench, leaving the jersey there.

"Ok, but the question still stands," Mav was looking at Vale, Maikki knew as she started to reassess and reattach her muffler and header. "Guys?"

"Well, I don't really know yet," Maikki murmured as she strapped the header to her bike, securing it as she braced it with her knees. After a few moments of tense silence punctuated by heated whispers from the two men, one of the 450’s kicked to life and roared off. A pair of familiar hands appeared to brace the header for her, as Maikki struggled to secure the long exhaust to it one-handed. She was grateful for the assistance.

“Maik,” Vale breathed, settling on his haunches next to her. “Cara mia,”

“He is so upset...” She murmured as she secured one of the integral bolts that freed their hands and let herself settle into Vale’s chest, and he took her into his arms gently. Naively, Maikki assumed that everyone would just be happy for the pair finally getting together after years of unbridled sexual tension, but it seemed they were going to be faced with the opposite. Like everyone was holding their collective breaths to see how long it would last, before they imploded and ruined their friendship. Which had been another consideration of Maikki’s.

“He’s not upset, Maik. He’s concerned. For you.”

“Why?” 

Valentino shook his head gently, his curls brushing her shoulder. It was an awkward position, her on the ground with her legs splayed, him crouched next to her. 

“I have a feeling that will be a constant state for a while. I have a reputation, and you’re everyone’s sweetheart.”

“I am not everyone’s sweetheart,” She murmured, knowing exactly how sullen she sounded. It was true, though, Maikki was almost as much of a player as Valentino himself, even if their styles differed wildly. He was the smooth Casanova, she was direct and crass. Quite the opposite of how they rode, actually. 

“Maikki, the entire field has been protective of you since the Márquez thing.” That gave Maikki pause, and she frowned. Did he mean the entire Marquez thing, fucking him in the first place, or the relapses that set them to fighting again? Come to think of it, there were too many Marquez things. She needed to stay far, far away from the grinning Spaniard - and really, daring Valentino would be the best way to take her own advice. 

Vale kissed her cheek, nudging her back to continue working on her bike. “Come on, lets get you going.”

She wasn’t sure he caught the double entendre in his statement at first, but as she worked he pressed his grinning lips against the back of her neck. Of course he knew. Valentino Rossi never did anything accidentally.


	7. Chapter 7

Maikki laid out an enormous dinner on the kitchen island - chicken marsala, coupled with egg noodles, carrots and asparagus with a side salad - and sat back to watch as they started to clear the food. They all settled into various corners of the living room - some on the couch, some at the table. Vale sat at the island itself, within reaching distance of the mountain of veggies. Maikki sat on the end of the counter, feet tucked under her thighs, and her plate balanced on her knee. 

"Woman, why are you always on the counter?"

"Call me woman again, Nico, I swear to god," Maikki waved a piece of asparagus on a fork at the younger rider, who grinned impishly at her. Maik rolled her eyes, and returned to her plate, finishing off her vegetables before she started on the chicken.

"You should eat more, Maik," Now Maverick was after her as he refilled his plate, adding a tong full of asparagus to hers as he did so. "You're looking like a bag of bones."

"I've been off my exercise regimen," She murmured, hopping down to clear her plate. Valentino swiped it from her hands, pushing her out of the kitchen with his hip. 

“No, you get to relax. We will clean. Right guys?” Nicolo and Miguel groaned as Valentino looked at them, ignoring Francesco and Mav. “Mav, make her a drink.”

“Ok but please don’t touch my knives. I will wash those.”

“Fine, you can wash your knives.” Begrudgingly, Vale let her wash the two knives she had used to make dinner and put them away before he shooed her out of the kitchen. It wasn't like the set of Wustoff knives was very expensive, but they were the set she had bought when she knew enough to know what knives she preferred in culinary school, so their sentimental value was worth more than the sum of their parts. That and any idiot with a sponge and access to a hard surface could fuck up their carefully-honed edges.

The three men made short work of the plates, but Maikki, Maverick and Francesco settled on the back patio near the fire pit. Well, Maik and Mav settled, Pecco started working on making a fire, stacking the wood just so. Maikki sat on the edge of one of the benches, a blanket wrapped over her shoulders as she stared up at the sky. There were so many stars. 

“Are you cold, cara mia?” Vale stood behind her, hands massaging her shoulders. 

“Only a little. Until Pecco gets the fire going.” His hands were firm on her shoulder and she leaned into them slightly, tilting her neck forward so he could massage her tired muscles. “How are the dishes?” 

“About done. I left the boys to finish up.”

“Mmm, payback.”

“What did they say this morning?” Francesco and Maverick were murmuring quietly to one another about something, but neither were paying attention to Maikki and Vale. He sat next to her, an arm around her waist. 

“Ah, they were congratulating you for snagging a hot piece of ass. A little backhanded but I suppose I shouldn’t be upset,” Maik informed him, leaning her head on his shoulder as she stared up at the sky. “I don’t know, Valentino. I’ve worked so hard for everything I have, I don’t want people to think you’ve had a hand in getting it for me.”

“I would never give you anything. I will never let you win. You don’t deserve that,”

“Cryptic,”

“It’s the highest compliment I could think of. You came from the bottom and now you’re my biggest threat on the track.” She raised an eyebrow at the champion, who was inspecting her free hand in his as she finished the drink Mav had made her. He traced the Finnish word for brake tattooed on her middle finger, moving on to the negative space with flowers on it around her forearm. Vale had always been intrigued by her collection of ink, and had watched it grow considerably over the years, but it was probably the first time he had actually inspected them quite so intimately.

“Not at the moment.”

“You are.” He looked up at her through his thick lashes for just a moment before he pulled her arm free from the protection of the blanket to look at the rest of the tattoos that crept up her arm to her shoulder.

“Hey! It’s cold!”

“I mean, if that’s all you’re gonna wear, of course you’re going to be cold.” Nicolo teased as he walked through the open door. Maik faked mock offense until she realized what he had in hand - four large wine glasses, balanced precariously between his fingers. “I brought drinks.”

“I brought more,” Miguel called from behind him. 

“I’ll take one of those.” Maikki extended her free hand for a glass. “What is it?”

“Sangria Miguel,” He offered, and Vale accepted, taking a glass with his free hand. They both ignored the raised eyebrow from the younger rider at Valentino's arm around her waist,her body held close to his.

“Proud of you today, Maik.” Maverick called over the fire as he fished a large piece of strawberry out of his glass. “It’s just a matter of time before you’re back on the track.”

“Don’t I know it. I just hope a matter of time is before season starts,” She chuckled grimly, taking a sip of her sangria. “Holy shit, what is in this, Miguel?”

After her glass of sangria, Maikki felt herself nodding off, no matter how nice it felt to be under Vale’s arm. Wine always did that to her - no matter how hard she could go at one of Vale's ragers drinking liquor, wine was a great way to put the Finn to sleep. With a sigh, she disentangled herself, smiling at the men in the firelight. 

“I gotta go to bed, guys. I’m too old to be up this late,”

“Hey, they’re older than you!” Nicolo joked, on the other side of Valentino, motioning to Maverick and the Italian champion. 

“I’m not long for this world either,” Vale murmured, shifting to let Maikki pull the blanket from under him so she could bring it back into the living room. “We’ll see you in the morning, Maik.”

She almost felt disappointed as she padded to her room, getting ready for bed slowly. She had thought she would be diving into bed with Vale after a night like she had, electrifyingly close to him, his fingers on her skin as he studied her tattoos. What happened to later? Had something gone wrong?


	8. Chapter 8

“Shit,” Maikki gasped awake, panting as she clutched her chest. Well. They couldn’t all be great nights. She sat up, running her hands though her hair before she got out of bed in her boyshorts and sports bra, head racing. 

Water. She was just going into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She certainly wasn’t going to pause in the living room and turn on the TV to watch some old favorite. 

But that’s exactly what Maikki did, curled up on the couch with her glass of water spiked with cucumber slices. She spread the soft blanket over her legs as she curled up on the couch, reveling in the smoky smell leftover from the fire as she clicked through the offerings to stream. As always after a night terror, she was still only half-awake, her head racing, mind in a fog as she tried to bridge the gap between dream and reality. As she cycled through the countless movies on the PlayStation, she worked through a series of breathing exercises, her feet locked on her thighs in a lazy lotus pose.

“Again?”

In the glowing light of the television, Maikki looked up at Vale, who stood with his arms folded as he regarded her. 

“Every night since the crash.” She sighed, flipping the controller over in her hands. “No matter how tired I am, I never sleep through.” 

He stayed quiet for a long minute, obviously lost in thought. She couldn’t see his eyes in the shadows he stood in, but something about his posture... Impulsively, Maikki stood, leaving her blanket and the controller on the couch, and padded tentatively to where he leaned in the shadowy doorway. She still felt like she was half-asleep, and that there was real potential that this was a dream, and she'd wake up in the bedroom she used to fuck Axel in, alone.

She let her fingers slide along his jaw, noting his quirked eyebrow as she rose on her tiptoes to touch her lips to his. After a long moment without a reaction, she made as if to take a step back from him but Vale unfurled his arms and caught her by the elbows, pulling her body back into his. 

Maikki couldn’t suppress a sharp gasp as Vale sunk his fingers into her hair, her body clasped to his by the arm slung low around her waist. Sure they had been close all day since their night on the couch, their stolen kisses in the kitchen and the garage, but this private moment in the dark, her skin pressed to his... it still felt like the culmination of years of yearning. So much wanting. She let her fingers drag down his abs, where he had been building some muscle thanks to her years-long nutrition program and Carlo’s ceaseless efforts. He was almost forty-four but he was in the prime of his life, the top of his game.

It could have been seconds, it felt like hours, but he pulled his lips away, his thumb caressing her cheek as he pushed her hair back out of her face. Her ponytail had finally fallen down, she realized hazily. 

“You can stay out here,” His tenor was husky and dark, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. “Or you can turn that off and come in with me,” He kissed the corner of her dumbfounded lips and released her. 

Maikki realized she still stood stock still in the living room, staring after him with her hand to her lips. She gave herself a shake and walked back to the couch, sitting for a long moment before she shut off the television and stood. 

“I was wondering if you were going to stay on the couch,”

She had only seen Vale’s room on the occasion the door was left open when she walked past, which was to say not much of it and extremely infrequently. It was sizable, if spartan, with an astonishingly large canopy bed sans an actual canopy flanked by two nightstands with lamps. One was glowing next to him as he checked his phone on what was probably his side of the bed, one foot dangling over the side. Maikki pressed her back into the door to shut it, taking in the room. On the wall beside the door there was a bureau with a television above it, and in front of the enormous picture window to the left of the bed was a padded footstool in a matching gray to the headboard. 

“Wow,” She couldn’t help but admire it - the Finn had always had a thing for good decorations. Call it her Scandinavian sensibilities. 

“Been a while since I’ve had a visitor in here, I should have dusted,” Vale joked, motioning to her to join him on the white expanse of bed. Maikki willed her feet to take one step, then another toward the bed as he scrolled through the television. “Preference?”

“Something long. I was thinking Braveheart.” 

Lips pursed, Vale parsed through the movies like he knew the one she wanted was there somewhere. 

“Last of the Mohicans?” He countered, looking at her with a questioning eyebrow raised. 

“That’s good too.” Something to put her to sleep, even though she was quivering with a tentative desire to have more of him. What he had alluded to in the garage. Maikki perched on the edge of the bed, feeling suddenly uncomfortable with how little clothing she was wearing - like he hadn’t seen her in less before, like he hadn't tasted her earlier in the garage. Vale seemed to pick up on it immediately. 

“Cara mia, are you feeling ok? If you’re not comfortable, you don’t have to -“

“I’m nervous. I’m always nervous now, so don’t think you’re special,” She interrupted, with a nervous titter as if to emphasize her point. “Self-conscious and nervous.”

“I know it doesn’t help, but you really don’t have anything to be self-conscious about.” He paused, looking at her as if drinking her in. “I’m nervous, too.”

“You? Eleven times world champion, Valentino Rossi, is nervous?” Maikki teased gently, getting a laugh from the man as he dragged a hand through his soft curls. 

“Five times world champion, Maikki Kankkunen - the Finnish spitfire - is sitting on my bed in her skivvies. I’ve wanted this for years, I asked for it. And I don’t know how to make a move.” She bit her lip as she studied him, wondering what had made him decide to be so truthful. It wasn’t like he had trouble earlier in the garage... After a long minute she burst out laughing at how fucking ridiculous this all was. 

“God, we’re like peacocks posturing, aren’t we? Do you need we need the display? I know what I want.”

“What do you want, Maikki?” The question was somehow arrogant and patient as he watched her, leaning against his headboard with his arms behind his head. 

She breathed in deeply, like she did before a race, letting it go slowly. The breath took her tension with it, her inhibitions. Her doubt. Controlled breathing - the most important part of Maikki’s yoga practice, her racing, her life. Slowly, Maikki stood and padded around the bed to where he waited, watching her, his expression equally interested and wary. Taking her time, Maik put one leg over his hips, the other balanced on the floor as she settled into his lap. She pressed her hand into his chest and lowered her face to his, her lips hovering above his, close enough to brush against them when she spoke. 

“I want you.”

Vale swore quietly, his hands moving to her hips slowly. One started to slide up her side as she pressed her forehead to his, their faces touching but not their lips, parting only as he pulled her bra off over her head. His hands were calloused from the grips of his bike - not unlike hers - and his touch made her shiver in delight. Still, they stayed, foreheads together, her hands on his shoulders as his explored her bare torso. 

He stopped at the ring in her nipple, gently toying with it as his other hand started to sneak up her back. Maikki dug her hands into his hair, pulling their lips together finally for a passionate kiss. 

When they pulled apart, she was on her back, and he was planting kisses down her neck. How had that happened? Vale’s lips were tantalizingly gentle on her skin, leaving a map of goosebumps in their wake. He stopped at her hipbones, hooking his thumb into her underwear as he began to slide it off. Maikki rose up on her elbows to watch, but let her head fall between them as his kisses drew ever closer to the heat between her thighs. 

It popped right back up when his teeth met the soft flesh of the inside of her thigh. Vale grinned impishly up at her as he pressed her thighs apart, and sunk those full, sweet lips onto her clit. She had to bite her own lip as he worked, his tongue gentle. Fuck he knew what he was doing. 

How long had it been since Maikki had had someone considerate - passionate? Sure, she had had great sex since Márquez - and her subsequent relapses with him - but Vale was in a realm of his own, and they were just getting warmed up. He knew what he was doing, she had to hand him that. Maikki focused on regulating her breathing, and reached her desperate fingers to tip Valentino’s head up. He let her guide him back to her lips, her other hand reaching down his long torso to work off his gym shorts, doing her best to ignore his weird little turtle tattoo in his abdomen as she did. It wasn’t difficult, she just had to focus on his lips - and his cock as it fell across her stomach. 

It appeared that the speculation that the Italian was compensating for something with his ego, with the women, was entirely untrue, Maikki realized as she managed to free him from his shorts. She had figured as much - he had pressed himself against her too many times for her to think he was anything less that average at the least. She took him in her hand, smiling as she did.

“Cara mia,” He pulled away, and she groaned in protest. She rose up on her elbows and realized he was rolling a condom on - probably a solid call, she mused as she watched his deft hands. He pressed a hand into her hip, holding her down as he looked at her with those ocean blue eyes, poised to push into her. “Maikki, do you -“

“Vale, please,” He smiled fondly down at her, chewing his lip as he started to press into her. It was tantalizingly slow - but necessary, like he was fully aware he couldn’t just go thrusting into her with equipment of that size. He bent to touch his lips to hers, and she pushed her fingers into his curls to pull their faces together greedily, kissing him hard as his hips finally met hers. 

At first, Vale’s thrusts were slow - almost too slow for Maikki, but she was thankful for his speed when she realized exactly what she was dealing with. He had a thumb at her clit, rubbing it with gentle expertise, his other hand cupped her face as he kissed her. His increase in speed was gradual as he started to push her toward her edge. It was all Maikki could do to grip the tangle of sheets behind her head as he rose on his knees between her legs, pushing one of her knees toward her shoulder. 

“Oh, fuck, Vale, I’m almost there,” He smiled like the statement wasn’t news to him, but increased the pace of his thrusts, leaving her a puddle of suppressed moans beneath him as he pushed her over the edge and jumped off behind her. 

God he was good. He held their lips together with a hand buried in her loose waves, the other under the small of her back to manage her hips. After a long moment, he broke away, wincing. 

“Christ, Maikki, are you doing that on purpose?” She looked up at him, genuinely confused as he started to pull himself free of her. “You’re... clamping down,”

“Oh. No. I’m not doing that on purpose.”

“That might take some getting used to,” He murmured, looking relieved as he pulled free of her, and touched his lips back to hers. “You’re already a tight fit,”

“Vale,” She wasn’t sure where she was going with that sentence, so she stopped herself with a kiss. Fuck that had been everything she had wanted for so long - why the fuck had she waited for so long?

“I need to get rid of this thing. Take a quick shower. Do you need the bathroom?” She was liking this experienced older man thing already, Maikki mused. No gung-ho ‘let’s cuddle in our own filth,’ certainly seemed to know his way around a clitoris...

“You first. I’m sure I’ll need help with the shower,” She meant with the taps, but he smiled at her as he planted another kiss on the corner of her mouth, like he anticipated some other meaning. 

After a minute, the water started and the door popped open. Maikki took that as her cue and slowly extricated herself from the sheets to use the toilet then join him in the warm water. He ran a soapy hand around her hip, holding her close to his warm, wet skin for a long kiss. 

“That was impressive, cara mia. I think I need to have more sex with younger women,” That last bit was a joke, she knew - he had plenty of sex with younger women. Younger than her, even. But what he hadn’t had was sex with her. It was becoming apparent that not only did she have him wrapped around her finger but that the sentiment worked both ways. 

“You can have me as often as you want,” Maikki murmured with a wry grin as she soaped up her body, keeping her hair well away from the water - an easy task in his enormous shower. 

“Aggressive. That’s such a fucking turn-on,” He murmured, kissing her cheek. “Unfortunately, I think I’m out of commission for a little while.” 

“I think it’s a good idea to try for some sleep,” Maikki accepted a towel from him and started to blot herself dry, watching as he did the same. He was all sinewy muscle, lean and purpose-built. Not at all the type she usually went for, which were men with a built upper half, but that smile, those eyes, that perfectly pert ass...

She realized she was staring with the towel in hand, and rededicated herself to drying off as Vale pretended not to have noticed her moment. 

He didn’t say anything as he pulled her into bed with him, settling his warm, slightly damp skin against hers. Wrapped in his arms and exhausted, she let herself drift off.


	9. Chapter 9

A keening whine woke her, and as Valentino cursed his dog Maikki remembered where she had gone to bed that night. So it wasn’t a dream, after all. Smiling, Maikki shifted to turn toward Vale in the enormous expanse of bed as he checked the time on his phone, frowning at the screen suspended over his head. When he noticed her looking at him, he quickly returned it to the nightstand. 

“Good morning, cara mia,” He murmured, his voice dark with sleep. Oh, that was a tone she could get used to, she mused as his hands reached under the comforter to appreciate her skin. She inched closer to him in the bed as he shifted to meet her.

He fitted his body to hers, wrapping his arms around her as hers found his waist. She tucked her nose against his chest, breathing a heavy sigh. The musky, petroleum-laced scent of him drifted into her nose as he stroked her back gently. She could get very, very used to this. 

“Thought I might have dreamed up last night,” She admitted to his chuckle as he ran his fingers though her hair.

“I’m glad you didn’t,”

“Me too.” Maikki tilted her head back to look up at him and Vale pressed his lips to hers tenderly. 

“I have bad news, though.” He said when they finally parted, His forehead pressed to hers. “I’ve got to feed my pets.”

“Oh, isn’t it Sunday?” She realized, accepting his fingers in hers as he twisted their palms together at their sides. “I guess I’ll go -“

“Nowhere.” He interrupted, pushing a kiss against the bridge of her nose. “I’m sleeping in today. With you.”

“What if I have shit to do?”

“Do you?”

“No.” Valentino laughed at her, she could feel his smile spread against her nose. 

“We can ride the dirt track later. But I’m going to let my dog out, put food down, and come right back to bed.” He tilted her head back with both of their hands so he could press kisses against the bridge of her nose. 

Maik got up out of the bed, stretching up toward the tall ceiling, her fingertips splayed. His arms wrapped around her waist after he followed her out of bed, holding her close from behind. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” He asked, his soft stubble brushing against her cheek, her ear. 

“To help you with the animals,” She squeezed his hands tightly where the rested against her tattooed stomach. “Can I borrow a shirt?”

Valentino happily obliged, lending her a shirt long enough to hit her mid-thigh. She wore nothing beneath it, letting his imagination run wild as she opened the French doors to the backyard in the waning morning light. The house was quiet - nobody would be up now, generally just her as she sought a morning practice, and Vale as he fed his cat and dog. 

Maik stared across the gorgeous countryside - the rolling hills, the acutely angled trees, the vineyard in the distance. Vale’s property was incredibly gorgeous, she mused as she watched Cecilia trundle around in the grass nearby. She leaned against the door, pushing her unruly waves out of her face as she waited for the dog to come back indoors. 

She heard the older rider take a picture of her, and glanced over her shoulder. Obviously, she needed to teach him to turn the sound off on his camera, but Maik didn’t have the heart to say that to his brilliant grin. Instead, she turned back to the countryside, posing with one foot popped, the knee bent as she pulled her borrowed shirt up over her ass - a fully camera-ready pose learned over years of photo shoots. That set his camera snapping. 

Maik turned when Cecilia trundled past her, righting her shirt as she whacked into Vale’s chest. 

“What’re you trying to do to me, mia stellina?” He asked, his lips brushing her cheek as he reached past her to pull the door closed. Vale pressed his lips to hers, pulling her into his chest. 

“Just making sure you get a good shot,” She murmured, her hands pressed against the front of his chest. “Something wrong with that?” She asked, grinning against his cheek as his hands sought her hips, grabbing a handful of her ass. 

“Come on, let’s get back to bed,” His lips were pressed against her the skin left exposed by the wide neck of her borrowed shirt. Maik let him guide her back to his bedroom.

He stripped his shirt off her frame, leaving her naked in the middle of his room as his hands sneaked up her sides. One sunk into her hair and pulled her lips up to his, the other on the small of her back. Maik couldn’t help but smile against his lips as he held her close. It was still surreal, accepting his kisses with his skin warm against hers. Why had she denied them this for so long, Maikki wondered for the billionth time as he stroked her sides. 

“What are you laughing about?” He murmured, his lips still close to hers. 

“Just... this. You. Us.” Maikki struggled to find the words, but not because her brain didn’t know what language to speak. Valentino laughed at her, kissing her temple gently. 

“Took long enough, didn’t it?” He asked, pulling her up and into his chest with a hand under her leg, seeking her bare bum. 

“It did. But it feels... right.” She spoke slowly, making sure she found the right words in the right language, letting her fingertips trail over his lips. “Like this is how it should have been.” 

“I agree.” 

“Do I sense some smugness, Valentino?” Maikki asked, teasing his lips with a fingertip. 

“Oh, just a little.” He shifted, pulling her into his chest with his hands under her thighs, lifting her feet easily off the floor. He was deceptively strong for how lanky he was, Maikki noted with a grin. 

She wasn’t grinning for long as Vale turned and crashed both of them into his bed, leaving Maikki trying not to shriek as she giggled. Vale pressed his nose into her chest, holding her body tightly. 

“Can we go back to sleep? Just for a little while?” He asked, obviously still interested in his plan to sleep in. 

“Of course. But only if you lose those shorts.”


	10. Chapter 10

As she stirred for the second time that morning, Maikki realized she was alone in the warm expanse of Valentino's bed, and that the sun was up. Fuck, she had slept in. Double fuck, all she had by way of clothes were the bra and boyshorts she had been wearing the night before. Tripe fuck, there were voices in the kitchen.

Well. If they didn't know before, apparently the boys were going to know now. With a sigh, Maikki sat up and rolled off the side of the bed, catching a pair of black leggings as they fell to the floor. Valentino. Well, at least now she wasn't going to have to leave the room in her underwear to make breakfast - though, judging by the smell of bacon, someone else was already on that.

Scrubbing her fingers through her hair to muss it into some semblance of normalcy, Maikki tucked her phone into the top of the high-waisted leggings and walked out of Vale's room. At least she had the advantage of being dressed like she would on any normal morning, but she was sure that wasn't going to fool anyone.

"Slept in, huh?" Nicolo called her out the moment she set foot in the hallway, like he had been waiting for her. In reality, it seemed he was the one manning the bacon station and happened to be facing her at that exact moment. 

"It's good for you every once in a while. You should know, you do it all the time," Maik shot back, fetching coffee before she perched on one of the barstools next to Mav, who looked positively hungover, and Pecco, who was not a morning person. "Where's Vale? Did he leave the inmates to run the asylum?"

"He's on the phone. Interview I think." Miguel pointed with the spatula he was using to stir the eggs.

"Ok, what did you put in those? Let me see," Curious, Maikki rose from the stool, but the Spanish rider waved her back down.

"Nope, you sit. This is our breakfast." Nicolo reprimanded, pulling bacon from the pan. With another sigh, she turned to Mav, rubbing his shoulder gently.

"Hey guy, how are you feeling this morning?" 

"Like I got old without realizing it. Do you know where the painkillers are?" 

"Yep. I'll grab you a few."

"Four." 

"Oddly specific," Maikki called over her shoulder, on her way down the hall to her room. She paused to brush her teeth and scrub her face before she grabbed the painkillers and a cropped sweater to pull on over the goosebumps on her bare torso. Moving back into the kitchen, Maikki presented the ailing rider with the bottle of ibuprofen before she assessed her sweater and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. 

She was about to plug her phone in to one of the chargers spread around the kitchen when it started buzzing in her hand.

"Kankkunen."

"Maikki, it's Astrid. Do you ever look at your caller ID before you answer the phone?"

"Nope. What's up?" She paced into the living room as she listened to her publicist, plopping down on the carpet to stretch her tired muscles. Privately, Maikki was shocked she was quite as sore as she was - sure, Vale had put her through her paces, but not in an overly adventurous way. It had to have been the riding. 

"So GQ wants to do an interview..."

"Huh. Fancy." 

"And a photoshoot," The doors to the back patio opened, letting in a woosh of cold air and the Italian rider, who had to step over Maikki as she stretched into a split on the floor. She winked at him as he and Maverick negotiated for space, as their teammate started to pace on his own phone call.

"Double fancy."

"Oh, come on, Maik. Yes or yes would be the correct answer here." Astrid sounded a little exasperated, but probably understood Maik's reluctance to pose for anyone with her new face. 

"What's the angle?"

"They want to talk about racing and the accident, obviously. The trials and tribulations of being a woman in the sport. They want Team Yamaha." Maikki frowned, settling back on her shins with her phone pinned to her eat in cow face pose. "Oh, come on Maik. It's a good thing."

"All three of us?" Maikki noticed Mav was wincing as he listened to what Maikki presumed was his publicist. "Fine. I'll do it. When? Where?"

"I'll text details, but it'll just be on the Ranch. Tuesday."

"Shit, Astrid, that's four days." Maikki stood in a flurry of popping joints, facing Valentino and Maverick. It was like the three of them all came to the same realization at once. "I've gotta go, Astrid, apparently I need to run today."

"I think I'll join you," Valentino commented dryly, looking at the plate of eggs in front of him. Maverick shook his head sadly.

"If I run, I'll puke."

"What's gotten into you three?" Miguel asked, pointing first to Maikki, then the eggs he had just served up.

"We apparently have a photoshoot. On Tuesday" Maikki answered, pulling off her sweater to leave on the back of a chair. Miguel swore in understanding, as he realized what that meant as a time crunch. "I'm going to have to come back to breakfast."

Maikki strapped on her sneakers and sought out her headphones - she wasn't sure what Vale's pace would be, but she was sure it would be different than hers. She met the lanky Italian and ailing Spaniard at the front door.

"Mav, are you sure you're ok?" Maikki asked, an eyebrow raised as she walked outside.

"I think if I puke I'll feel better."

"Perfect," She sighed, scrolling through her music for a running playlist.

The trio set off to lap around the track, each pushing the others to go faster, farther. Mav stopped to puke, missing an entire lap on his hands and knees in the grass. He stayed out to complete one more for punishment as Maikki and Vale rounded into the house - Valentino to do weights and Maikki to finish up with yoga on her mat on the back patio.

She paused to scarf reheated eggs in the kitchen where she ran back into Valentino, who was sitting on the counter with his plate in his hand, Maikki-style. He hardly protested as she plucked a piece of bacon off his plate, chewing it as she waited for her eggs to reheat. Valentino set the plate down beside him on the counter, reaching for her waist. Maikki let him pull her close, protesting mildly.

"But I'm all sweaty,"

"It's sexy." Maikki rolled her eyes as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, drawing her in for a kiss. "I'm going to take a shower, care to join?"

"As tempting an offer as that is, I have to pass. Astrid has Christina coming at 1400 and it's not fair to her if I'm not washed,"

"Who says -" Maikki silenced him with a long kiss, her fingers under his chin. She knew better than to trust herself around that man if he was naked. 

"I do. Go ride dirt bikes and think of me while I get borderline abused by my stylist."

"Do you want to borrow my bathroom for that? It's biggest." He offered helpfully, as she took her plate out of the microwave. She was about to scarf a mouthful of eggs when he added; "Also, you do know it's a little after 1300, right?"

"God, fuck, damn it," She stared at her plate, trying to decide if it was worth it to try to scarf its contents or if she needed to jump into action immediately. Her phone binged as she decided to go for it. "Can you read me that text?"

He held the phone just a little too far away as he read Christina's instructions to himself first, then aloud.

"'Don't wash your hair, exfoliate and take a hot shower, and take a painkiller at 1400.'" Maikki groaned as she worked down the last of the eggs on her plate, putting it in the dishwasher. Vale raised an eyebrow as he passed her the rose gold iPhone.

"She's going to wax me." Maikki explained, frowning at the text. "And highlight my hair."

"You can still use my bathroom. Seriously, it's just more convenient."

"I think Christina would die to do my hair in Valentino Rossi's bathroom. Make sure you hide anything you don't want her to take as a trophy," Maikki joked, letting her fingers brush down Vale’s arm as she walked past him to her bedroom to prepare herself for the ordeal ahead.


	11. Chapter 11

Maikki met her dark-haired stylist at the door just after 1400, and showed Christina into Vale's bathroom. The man had tidied up before he set off for the dirt track - something Maikki was insanely jealous of. What she wouldn't give to be racing around, beating the guys instead of having most of her hair ripped out by the roots, and bleach applied to the other hair.

"Swank-key," She mused as she looked around, inspecting the bedroom. "Are those... panties?"

Maikki had to fight the urge to snatch up the underwear she had left by Vale's bed that morning, which would have been weird. She deduced that because he had actually made an effort to clean the room, he must have left them there on purpose. Just another little tease. Maikki ignored the offending garment stubbornly as she made her way to the bathroom, assessing where she would sit as Christina started to unload her wares onto the counter.

"Let me go grab my bathroom stool." As she left, she shot Vale a sarcastic text to thank him for the underwear. His reply came while she was in the hall, stool in hand. 

‘No idea what you're talking about. I'd never leave trophies by the bed.’ Maikki snorted wryly as she carefully pocketed the phone to focus her attentions on the rather unwieldy stool. 

Christina didn't waste any time going after Maikki's blonde mop, tilting her face down so she could start painting the bleach onto her hair. Maikki was naturally fairly blonde, but she liked her hair to be nearly white and Christina always delivered. Though the process could be quite a slog. With her feet curled under her thoughts, Maikki scrolled through her phone to turn on her music through the speaker in the corner of Vale’s countertop, giggling as Christina did a little shimmy to the beat before she pushed Mali’s head back down to continue her application.

With her phone shielded by a waterfall of hair and a myriad of cling film and foils, Maikki considered her teasing reply to Valentino, typing and retyping her message before she decided to go with her first instinct about back-to-back championships. 

"So, how is he in bed?"

"What?" Maikki's head popped up to stare at the woman's grin in the mirror, and knew she had been had. Christina had been her stylist for long enough that Maik considered her a friend - and she had so few girlfriends - and her friend definitely knew how to read the Finn. There was no getting around this one. "Ah, fuck, Teensy,"

"Do you need a full wax, then?" Christina continued to tease as she finished the top of her hair, pausing to consider her eyebrows. “I’m going to have to color and wax these, too.”

"Ugh, woman. Stop it. It's very new." Maikki paused, considering her question even as she winced about getting her eyebrows done. It was one of her least favorite parts of “beauty day,” even worse than a full wax, which had other repercussions for her riding. "But the answer is yes. But not because I want it - you never know what they’re going to want me to wear.”

"Look at you, snagging that hot piece. He is so dreamy," Christina pushed into Maikki’s shoulder gently before she tilted her chin up to paint color onto her eyebrows. 

"Hi, the 1950's called, they have your poodle skirt," Maikki rolled her eyes, even though the woman behind her couldn't see it. 

"Yeah well. Like you said, who knows what they're going to put you in for this shoot. I was going to clean you up anyway.” Christina did the wax while they waited for her hair to set, turning the music up to cover the occasional cry of pain from the rider. Halfway through, they paused to let Maikki press a damp cloth against her tender skin as Christina made short work of her eyebrows. 

“Ok, why don’t you just take a quick shower. Use these two -“ Christina indicated a pair of bottles “- to shampoo and condition. Then I’ll put on your toner and you’ll sit for ten minutes.” 

With a timer clipped to her shirt, Christina left the bathroom while Maikki paced in the shower, waiting out the ten minutes with the water off but the music on and phone in hand. Between texts from Astrid and Albi about business matters surrounding the shoot and merch, one had slipped in from Valentino. 

‘What are you up to in there?’

‘Pacing while I wait for my hair. Trying to sneak a peek?’

‘Need a shower.’ That tracked, Maikki mused as she scratched at the very edge of her hair, trying not to disturb the toner but desperately needing to address an itch on her scalp. The itch usually meant she was about down. 

‘I’d invite you in, but Teensy’s not done yet.’

‘Why’s she out here then?’ Testy, Maikki mused with a giggle. ‘I’ll just use yours.’

It was a little sad she couldn’t invite Valentino in, Maikki mused as Christina popped in to check her toner, ordering a rinse. But this was what taking it slow was like. Her tendency to jump in and go full-throttle from the start was the reason all of her relationships tended to burn red hot and fade out quickly. Besides, it would be pretty bold to shower together with a house full of guests and Maverick, who already seemed iffy about the relationship. When Mav was upset he had a tendency to act rashly, Maikki knew. It worried her, honestly. 

“Ok. Let’s get you dried and cut and then we’ll do some nails in the kitchen. I can tell you’re dying to see lover boy,” Christina teased as Maikki crawled out of the shower in her towel. Grumbling, Maik settled on the stool again so Christina could shape up her layers. 

It seemed like she had been in that bathroom for days, Maikki mused as she finally dressed herself gingerly. In boy shorts and a thigh-length MK66 shirt, she was acutely aware that she still limped a little from her waxing as she made her way to the kitchen. 

Christina sat in one of the stools at the island, smiling at Miguel as she tolerated his blatant advances. She had prepared her setup for gel nails, ready to attack Maikki’s short nails with black polish. It was all Maikki ever really wore, if she wore polish at all. Around the kitchen, the guys were in various states of dusty and gross, obviously fresh off the track.

"Maikki! What's for dinner?" Maverick was leaning against the fridge, draining and refilling a water glass. 

"Air and a glass of the tears of dirty men," She murmured her reply to Mav, shooing him out of her way. "Seriously, you should be thinking about cutting. We have four days."

"Why are you acting like this is going to be some sort of nude shoot?" He asked, an eyebrow raised at her red legs. "And what happened to you?" 

"It must be nice to be a guy," Maikki sighed, yanking a sliced cucumber from the crisper to add to her water. She offered a glass to Christina. "I have to treat every shoot like it has the potential to be a nude shoot,"

"Or at least a semi-clothed one. Especially with her tattoos," Christina contributed, helpfully. 

"Why are you walking so funny?" Pecco asked, hopping on the counter. 

“Ever had a full wax, Pecco?” Maikki asked, settling in a seat next to Christina. “Can you imagine what it must be like? Not having to get your hair done all the time? No waxes? No fake eyelashes?” She sighed as Christina started working on her free left hand. 

“Maybe if they didn’t care so much we wouldn’t do it either,” Christina mused as the guys started conspiring about what to eat for dinner. 

“Hey, whatever you’re doing, cut Teensy in, ok?” Maik asked Mav as Vale came into the kitchen, freshly showered and navigating a shirt over his head. Maik tried not to oogle, but it was a battle easily lost. 

“Cut Teensy in to what?” He asked, swiping her cucumber water off the table to finish and refill. 

“Whatever our dinner plans are.” Maikki explained, her fingers stuck in the little ultraviolet light Christina had left her in. The stylist in question had left to pore over menus with the smelly group of boys. 

“I’m not picky. Can I use someone’s shower?” Mav asked, and Valentino left briefly to escort Mav to his bathroom. 

“Cara mia,” Something about the tone of that call made Maikki want to hide under the island, hut she was still stuck with her fingers in the light. Curse Christina and her desire to give her a manicure she wouldn’t chip in five minutes. 

“What have you done to my bathroom?”


	12. Chapter 12

Preparation for the shoot started promptly at 0400. At least, it did for Maikki. She was up and had set off for a run before the sun started to think of rising, and was almost finished with her yoga when Christina arrived at 0530 to set up her station. After the wanton destruction of Vale’s bathroom had left the man in a funk for hours - and because they didn’t have anything “sensitive” to work on - Christina chose to set up her station in the kitchen as Maikki showered. 

For events, Christina would pick out Maikki’s clothes, but today the magazine would have their own stylists on site to dress the trio, so Christina’s services were required much earlier in the day. Neither woman was very happy about the early call time, but at least the coffee maker was only a few steps away. 

“Oh, god, don’t hug me, you’re so sweaty.” Christina dodged under Maikki’s arm as she made her way to her borrowed bathroom to clean up, re-emerging in her usual pre-photo shoot outfit of a thong and a long t-shirt, her long hair wrapped up in a towel. She passed Vale in the hall as he prepared to head out for a run before he lifted. The man paused to press a long, slow kiss to her lips while the hall was still empty.

“Ugh, gross, sit. I’m doing curls and a cool side braid thing to highlight the undercut.” Apparently Christina had been able to see the PDA from the kitchen - and she wanted to show off her noggin scar? Christina must have been feeling testy that morning.

“Do you have to?” Maikki was still self-conscious about the state of her scarred head, but knew better than to try to argue with Christina when the woman turned in the blow dryer. 

The ruckus from the kitchen - the blow dryer and Maikki’s ever-present music, which she had turned up after her practice - drew the boys out of their dens, looking for the coffee Maikki had brewed. And probably the breakfast she couldn’t provide them with, which weighed on her despite the fast that she was in no way still Valentino’s personal chef. Maybe he needed to hire someone to fill in, that would assuage her needless guilt. That and the fact that she was providing him with a lot of free services these days. 

“Make more, Pecco. Don’t you dare leave that thing empty,” Christina warned, shaking a finger at the younger rider. She was obviously trying not to ogle the shirtless man, but winked when Maikki caught her taking a long look. “You should finish that, we’ve gotta do white strips.”

“Oh, no, Teensy! Please no,”

“Yep." Maikki sighed, and pointed to the fridge.

"Pecco, can you hand me the green bottle in there? The little one, yeah. That's breakfast." She directed him to where he could find her a straw to sip through. “Give it a shake, watch how much it’s separated,” 

"Oh, gross," Pecco seemed to be ready to be rid of the thing as she accepted it. 

"What are you guys doing today?" 

"Going to Misano," Pecco managed over his coffee, perching on the counter to watch Christina toy with Maikki's hair, pinning the curls to her head. Maikki sipped her green smoothie and tapped her toes to Mastodon as the rest of the guys waited for coffee.

"When do they get here?" Maverick asked, a shirt tossed over his shoulder as he came back from his run. Vale was right behind him, as the pair buzzed by on their way to the weight room. Maikki brushed her fingertips against Valentino's as he paused to take her smoothie out of her hands, taking a long gulp. 

"By 0900. You're not going to like that,"

"Oh, fuck, Maik, that is foul," Hastily, Vale handed the bottle back and proceeded to the weight room, coughing.

“Drama queen!” She called after the men, wishing she had been able to go lift with them. 

An hour later, Maikki found herself practically salivating through her whitening strips as the boys fed themselves breakfast.

"God, this is torture," She murmured, sitting on her ottoman with her hands in her lap.

"You know, cara mia, I think you will still look incredible if you have a piece of bacon before the shoot,"

"That ship has sailed, Valentino. She's got the strips in." Christina explained, bringing Maikki a blanket to toss over her shoulders. The rider pulled it around her knees, letting it pile in her lap. 

"I think they're here now, actually. Setting up." Christina peered through the front window, watching as tents went up around a trio of large trailers. The Yamaha Factory bikes had arrived, at the very least.

Not an hour later, the GQ styling team arrived. They rolled several racks of clothing into Vale’s living room, pushing the couches out of the way and rolling up the carpet without asking in a way that she knew would make Vale frown. Still perched on her ottoman, Maikki watched as the stylists checked every single outfit. The guys got to wear various suits - something Vale looked very good in, Maikki had to admit.

Her hair still pinned to her head, Maikki was finally allowed off her ottoman island to view the outfit choices. It consisted mostly of dresses and separates - a lot of outfits that either fit right to her skin or showed off a lot of it. She was glad she had stuck to the cut. As she surveyed the outfits she had the sudden desire for a coffee - with a straw, of course. Sure, Maikki GQ was going to be high-brow and classy, but she didn’t think she was going to be bored to tears by them all. 

Finally, something caught her eye. 

"That, what is that?" 

"Balmain jumpsuit." The stylist - a woman named Galena - said, frowning as she pulled the outfit back. She had tried to hastily put it away without mentioning it as she showed off the garments to Maikki. 

"I'm going to try that on." Christina was already taking the suit from Galena, preparing it for Maikki to slip into. 

The suit was a rich forest green, sleeveless with daring cutouts and a cropped leg. Without thinking about the fact that she was in Valentino's living room, she carefully pulled off her t-shirt, and started to hop into the garment. She managed to shimmy it up to her hips before someone let out a low whistle from the doorway. Maik pulled the top over her shoulders and looked up to see Vale, a hand over Maverick's eyes where they stood in the doorway.

"Pretty, right?" She waited for the stylist to zip her up, looking at the shoes. "Christina?"

"Those black pumps. Yeah, those. And for the second look, I think this -" She pulled out a black dress, the top was covered with gold spiky studs, with a deep neckline with a column skirt. "And then the last thing, because, the boots," She pulled out a tiny white dress with a pleated skirt, and pointed at the leather thigh-high Louboutins.

They both ignored Galena’s deep frown, but if they had listened to the stylist Maikki would be drowning in tulle for the whole shoot. 

They started in the jumpsuit, out on the hard-packed dirt track by the bikes. They were rotating through - dirt bikes, M1s, their flat track bikes, even a couple of minibikes, none of which they were allowed to ride.

"Oh, god, this is going to get annoying, boys," Maikki murmured as she shuffled to stand in front of, but just to the left of, her bike as her teammates walked to do the same.

"You won't be doing this the whole time, this is just the first shot." The photographer said, directing Maikki to step forward. The trio took pictures with their bikes, with their bikes together, bikes alone, all together, all alone. Then Maikki changed and they repeated the process.

Frowning in her swanky black dress, Maikki started to get bored during the trio pictures, and with Vale and Mav with an arm each around her waist, threw her arms up and started to dip over backwards into something of an awkward wheel position. 

"What are you doing?" Vale asked, pulling her back up to her tottering heels by the waist, smiling broadly.

"Having a bit of fun, right Maik?" Mav asked, taking Maikki's hand and pulling her into something of a Tango spin, spinning her out and then back into his arms, grinning. He spun her to the other side, passing her to Valentino. The Italian dipped her, pulling her back up to the center of the pair.

"You're right, standing here is boring." He was raising his eyebrows over her head to Mav, and Maikki felt a pair of hands under her seat, lifting her up like she had just won a championship, the adjoining pair on her back.

"Oh my god," Laughing, Maikki put a hand on either shoulder, holding herself up as the pair started to act like they were about to toss her. And toss her they did, throwing the small blonde in the air and catching her deftly. "Ok, christ guys, I'm not even back on the bike yet! Don't break me before I - shit!"

"Think she's had enough?"

"She said she's going to shit," Mav joked, as the pair lowered her feet to the ground. Vale's hand stayed at the small of her back as Mav pulled away, shaking his head. 

"Last outfit?" Maik asked the photographer as she regarded the group, lowering her camera.

"I think so."

Christina touched up her makeup after she got into the white frock - with a deep v-neck and the flouncing pleated skirt that fell a few inches shy of the top of the black boots. Christina brought her underwear with greater coverage because of the tiny skirt, and followed as Maikki strode confidently back to the guys on the track.

"What the fuck, Maik,"

"Holy shit, cara mia,"

"That good, huh boys?" Maik executed a skirt-twirling turn - and tottered in her ridiculously high heels. Thankfully, Vale was there to catch her, his hands lingering on her hips as she regained her footing. "I would do fun things but I think I'll roll an ankle,"

"Don't worry about it, you in that dress is fun enough," Valentino joked as the trio settled together, Maikki bouncing on the balls of her feet because she couldn't settle on her heels in the dirt.

Playing dress-up was always fun, to an extent. By the time the trio were allowed back into their street clothes, Maikki was craving a ride on the bikes she had been forced to sit on all day. She watched, barefoot in the front yard as the bikes were loaded up onto the trailer. Vale offered her a beer, standing with his arm around her waist. 

"Where'd Mav get off to?"

"Home, he's got an early appearance tomorrow." Valentino leaned to press his lips to her temple for a long moment, holding her close.

"You're a little touchy-feely," Maik mused, twining her fingers through the hand that rested on her hip. She took a long drink from her beer before she looked up at him. He had been very good about keeping his hands off her during the shoot, while there were cameras everywhere, so maybe this was the culmination of hours of want.

"Can't help it." He pressed a set of kisses along her cheekbone until his lips were at her ear, tugging at one of her many earrings. "I kept those boots."

"Did you now?"

"Want to put them on?"

"Only if I don't have to put on anything else," Maikki grinned mischievously, letting him guide her to his bedroom.


	13. Chapter 13

The next day, Maikki woke with a start in the middle of Valentino’s bed as the rider’s phone began to ring. His weight left her side as he rolled over with a groan to check the call ID. 

“Fuck,” She glanced over at him as he answered the phone, his face all business. “Rossi.”

He paced back and forth in front of the picture window, frowning deeply before he glanced over at Maikki, gesturing to signal that she should get dressed. She did so slowly, confused as she only got one side of the conversation - and there wasn’t much on his side. Maik got the sense he was being chewed out, but why?

“No, lets talk about this, Lin. Yes, I do think... you know, she is an adult,” He was staring at her pointedly, a hand on his hips. After a moment, he pointed to a pair of gym shorts on the floor beside his bed, and she tossed them to him so he could dress. 

“No, Lin. I really think Maikki has a say in this too.” Ah, fuck. She reached for her phone as Vale’s call wrapped up. “So I think someone's told them.”

Maik was about to express her displeasure when her phone, predictably, began to buzz. Well, it wasn't like they had been very secretive about it.

“Kankkunen,”

“What are you even thinking, Maikki?” Lin Jarvis, the managing director of the factory Yamaha team, was about to give her an earful. She had only been chewed out by him once, and it wasn’t an experience she was excited to repeat. “He is your teammate! Not to mention -“

“Don’t. If you’re going to talk about this, you’re going to talk about the professional side. Because if you cared about personal, you would have called me first.” Even though each sentence she uttered was carefully crafted, she was playing fast and loose by turning the tables on her MD. Vale had raised an eyebrow, obviously shocked with her decision to admit they were together so early in the morning. She turned from him and started to pace the length of his large bedroom. The repetitive motion helped her talk.

“You’re there with him.”

“I am training on his ranch, Lin. I live in Cattolica. Listen. If you’re going to fire me, fire me. I’ll find another seat. Or I’ll go back to World SuperBike.”

“Maikki, that’s not what I’m saying,”

“Ok, then what are you saying, Lin? I’m trying to get on the bike again. And that’s fucking hard.” She paused to take a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm building my support team. I'm sorry it looks different than what you want."

"Maik, this could be a public relations nightmare for us..."

"Nothing can be worse than Marquez." She didn't need to look up to see the wince on Valentino's face. Her breakup with Marquez had turned out to be even more of a disaster after he had unleashed a series of carefully-crafted, underhand comments that made her seem like the guilty party. Vale shook his head as he plopped back into his sheets, arms stretched over his head. "Listen, we aren't flaunting this, and it's intensely personal. And vary private. So unless you want to be a friend and not my boss, I think this conversation is over."

"Then let me be personal, Maikki. Because you're right. Outside of a public relations angle, you're allowed to do whatever you want with whomever you want - as long as it doesn't affect your performance on the track. But I've known Valentino almost as long as you've been alive. He always starts off like this. I don't want to see you hurt when he gets bored."

"I appreciate the concern. I assure you, I've thought of that. Is there anything else?"

"Professional hat - you're training again, so that means you're on for the awards circuit."

"Lin, no, you can't make me do that! Listen to me, I'm a disaster when I speak -"

"It's really not as bad as you think. We need to reassure the public that you're not actually still in a coma." That had been one of the conspiracy theories going around the twittersphere, that Maikki was really still in a coma after the crash, and that the person they had seen trackside was a stunt double. Another theory was that, like Avril Lavigne was speculated to be, Maikki was actually dead and had been replaced, which was even more cringey. 

"Fuck, fine. But you know that's going to cut into training." She needed at least three dresses, and a stylist... That meant she needed to go into town to see if Christina was willing to deal with her fucked up face again in such a short span. After the frowns of last week, she wasn't sure.

"A necessary evil."

"God damn. Any other bombs?"

"Make sure you get matching ties for Mav and Vale for whatever you're wearing. Like a fucking team. And we're going to be strict about PDA, please be aware of that."

"Is PR going to give us a call about this?"

"Eventually. And Maikki?"

"Yes?"

"Please be careful."

"I'm going to pretend you mean about training, Lin. I'll talk to you later."

Maikki hung up the phone and stood in disbelief for a moment, staring out the broad picture window in Vale's room over the beautiful, rolling countryside. What the fuck had she gotten herself into? She didn't realize she had spoken aloud until Valentino wrapped his arms around her shoulders, his chin perched on top of her blonde head.

"Cara mia," He began, pausing Maikki-style to think about what he was going to say. "I don't -"

"Vale. It's fine. Unexpected. But fine." She leaned her head back against his shoulder, disrupting his chin's perch. "Lin has always been... protective. Since Marquez."

"I know," Valentino sighed, leaning to touch his lips against her neck. Even though the mood was serious, his light touch gave the smaller rider goosebumps. "I'm just concerned."

"About what?"

"I can't change who I am, Maik. But I wish it wouldn't negatively effect you." He had a point, but it was one they had already thought about. She didn't want to be one of Valentino's conquests, she had just managed to clean up the damage dating Marquez had caused to her reputation, and after a series of lovers of her own had gained her own reputation as a player. She voiced that thought tentatively, wrapping her fingers in Valentino's.

"Not to that extent, mia stellina. I've got decades of lovers on you,"

"That makes me feel good and bad at the same time," Maikki mused as the Italian chuckled, tracing a line of kisses up the side of her neck.

"I'd like to think the experience is worth it," He murmured into her ear, sending shivers down her spine. 

Maikki leaned her head back onto his shoulder, letting Valentino touch his lips to the lobe of her ear. He scraped his teeth along the ridge of her ear until they encountered metal, and she sighed under his touch. His kisses were quiet and soft against her skin as he toured down the skin of her throat, keeping her on her toes with the occasional nibble. Meanwhile, he had slipped a hand under the waistband of her leggings and reached inside her with a pair of fingers, his thumb on her clit. 

Maikki moaned his name quietly, rising onto her toes as his fingers tickeled her to come for him, his other hand flat against her ribcage. It was as if he had to hold her to keep her from getting away, which was almost true as she reached back to dig her fingers into his curls. 

Just when she thought she was about to reach ecstasy, he pushed her forward onto the bed, tearing her leggings down around her thighs. She swore in Finnish as he pressed himself hard into her - it would have been too quick if he hadn’t already spent time on her with his fingers. 

“Come on, Maikki, come for me,” His name fell from her lips, hoarse with her desire as she focused on the sensation starting to build from where he pushed into her with ruthless speed. Vale’s calloused fingertips were still at her clit, reaching between her legs even though they were pressed together hard. 

She felt the tingling warmth that had been building start to spread, and grabbed desperately at his arms around her as it washed over her. Maikki sighed in his arms as he pressed his hips into hers one final time. A little shudder ran through both of them, and it was Valentino’s turn to moan her name. 

“Oh my god,” A second shudder ripped through her, and her hands flew to the sheets, gripping them as a second orgasm numbed her and simultaneously lit her on fire. Her pants were hoarse as she bent to press her face into the sheets.

She was still trying to process her sensation when she realized he had flipped her onto her back, and tore her leggings off. How could he still be going? He was still coaxing her to come under his touch, pushing inside her in short strokes. Vale’s lips fell on hers, probably quieting her moans of pleasure. She didn’t have time to consider as her toes curled. It was almost painful now, the pleasure, and she pressed weakly against his chest. 

He pulled away from her slowly, still holding her to his chest - probably as they made a mess of the sheets, she realized through the retreating mental gaze of the state she had just been in. It took what seemed like hours for Maikki to figure out how to form the words, and it wasn’t just because of her unreliable brain. 

“Holy shit,” She finally managed, through his gentle kisses. It took her several tries to get the language right. “What the fuck did you just do to me, Rossi?”

“Experience,” 

“Fucking worth it.”


	14. Chapter 14

After getting into his suit sans-jacket, Valentino had dramatically thrown himself onto the hotel bed.

"You're going to get wrinkles, Valentino," Maikki murmured as her stylist started to curl the remainder of her hair. Christina had chosen to braid the hair above her involuntary undercut to highlight it - she said if she laid the hair over the undercut, it might look like she was trying to hide Maikki’s scar. That was impossible to do because most of it was on her face, but the stylist had a vision, and after the widely positive reaction to their GQ shoot Maikki could do nothing to steer her away.

"Not if you hurry up," He was kicking his feet, his trademark impatience vividly apparent as he watched a video on his phone, suspended over his face. At least he had left off his jacket.

"Perfection takes time, Valentino," Christina commented dryly as she aggressively sprayed a curl with hairspray.

"I think she looks perfect without all the junk,"

"That was the sweetest non-compliment ever, Vale. Thanks." Maikki rolled her eyes, toying with her own phone in her lap. As much as she wanted to pretend she hated it, being pampered for awards shows and public appearances was fun - almost as much fun as when she went to designers to request a dress. It was endless compliments and doting and it really did a woman good. Especially a woman who most of the year got away with the occasional swipe of eyeliner and mascara.

"I'm full of them, cara mia." He had been entertained in the beginning, at least, by the fact that Maikki sat in a sports bra and a pair of high-waisted underwear, and had changed out of the former to avoid red marks. She sat with her arms crossed over her chest, waiting to be able to put on the dress she had chosen. The novelty of gazing at his half-naked girlfriend had quickly worn off, leading to his boredom.

"We're almost done," Lips pursed, Christina ran her fingers through Maikki's fresh curls to separate them, and ran a thumb under her lip to catch the light color she had used. "Come on, let's get you in that dress."

Vale sat up on his elbows, watching Maikki dress with obvious hunger in his eyes. He had only seen the dress on the hanger, and had expressed intense excitement to see it on her. The stylist held the rider's arm as they secured a pair of thigh-high black leather Louboutin boots - heels that almost made her as tall as Vale - a caged black bralette, and the sheer lace dress that she wore over the whole apparatus. The hem of the pleated skirt fell just to the top of the boots, and made her look like her legs were a mile high.

"Fuck me running," She heard him breathe from the bed, as Christina arranged her tousled curls perfectly on her shoulders and handed Maikki her phone.

"You're a fan?" Maik asked, as she turned to face the Italian, grinning. He grabbed her up and kissed her so hard that Maikki was happy Christina was a friend. And a discreet one at that. As it was, the stylist seemed more concerned about Maikki’s makeup than anything else. 

"Christ, you're going to ruin her... Damn it, now you're wearing Maikki's lipstick, Valentino." Christina snapped at the pair as they pulled apart, reaching for a makeup wipe and the shade of lipstick she had put on the Finn minutes earlier. "I am so happy you aren't allowed to ruin her makeup at the event,"

Giggling at Christina's grumblings, Maikki accepted the lipstick from her, and turned to tuck the makeup and her phone into Valentino's interior jacket pocket. 

"Oh, so I'm your purse now?"

"Do you want me to put on a dress with pockets?" She asked absently, adjusting his long, thin tie.

"No, never change ever,"

"Ok, you two, it's time to get going. Please, please, please hang up your clothes tonight." Christina guided them to the door - well, really, guided Maikki, at this point Vale had proven he would follow her anywhere as long as she was wearing that dress.

They met Maverick in the lobby, where Maikki paused to take a selfie in an ornate mirror flanked by the two men, with the hashtag "champions." While Christina was working on her in the hotel room, Maikki had posted a picture that had just a snippet of the back of Valentino's head, failing to anticipate the immediate and wild speculation that erupted around the picture. It seemed like people had grown even more curious about her life while she was off the track and out of the spotlight. The ravenous curiosity made sense, really, and she tried to placate her fans with a responsive social media presence to provide glances into her life - which seemed only to raise more questions. There was no winning with social media. 

The trio climbed out of their limousine at the red carpet to cheers, as Vale offered Maikki a hand out of the car and held it for what was probably just a fraction of a second too long as she straightened her dress and hair. They posed for a few photos together before they were drawn apart to talk about their individual standings.

"How do you feel after last season's crash, Maikki?" Ah, the inevitable from Sports' Illustrated. Maikki paused, making sure she had all the words in order - and in English - before she answered.

"I'm working my way up, we've started on dirt bikes for now. I will be ready for Qatar." Maikki smiled, trying to focus on the questions she was being asked rather than how self-conscious she felt with her scarred face on full display.

"If you would change one thing about last season, what would it be?"

"I would like to not crash," She said with a chuckle, as Lorenzo buzzed by, a hand on the small of her back as he let her know he was happy she was here. Maik poked him in the ribs, grinning back as he pulled away toward where Vale was talking to ESPN. "But you know. We take risks every time we get on a bike."

"Will you make changes to the bike?"

"We always change the bike. But it was close to perfect last season - just what I needed."

"You were on track for the championship,"

"Yes, but every championship Vale earns is reportedly his last, so he deserves this last one, right?" Maikki giggled as the man in question glanced over at her, hearing his name. 

"Are you talking about me?" He called, leaving ESPN with Lorenzo to backtrack to where Maikki stood, slipping an arm over her shoulder. 

"Your nose itching?" Maikki asked, hoping her grin up at the man wasn't too adoring. "I said you took my title."

"You gave it to me on, ah, a silver platter!" Maik rolled her eyes, smiling at the interviewer. 

"Oh! While I have you both, do you want to address the dating rumors?" Valentino immediately walked away, shaking his head.

"You know, I'm the only woman on the circuit. I'm used to being linked to anyone within five feet of me." Maikki managed, trying to remain calm by regulating her breathing. The idea that these people felt they had the right to ask these questions was infuriating, but she still felt bad for telling only part of the truth. She sighed and she shook her head at the interviewer. "Thanks, I have to get moving."

She entertained a few more questions from different news outlets, trying to keep her focus on the upcoming season and her hopes for it rather than her injury or the lack of information on her relationship status. Finally, she met back up with Valentino for a few photos at the end of the red carpet before they went into the venue.

"I'm getting a lot of questions..." She murmured through a smile, before they stepped away to take solo pictures. 

"Me too." He agreed quietly, catching up with her as they walked into the venue. Inside, the environment was a little safer for the group, but still not as much as it would have been at home. "Remind me to take you on a nice, long vacation after awards season. Somewhere with bikinis,"

"Nuh-uh, I've seen the pictures of you on yachts with girls." Maikki laughed as she settled into her seat between Maverick and Valentino, ordering a scotch from the waiter who appeared almost instantly.

The awards were always fun - and rowdy, with that much testosterone and dates trying to get laid. There were few females in motorcycling, and most of them were in motocross or endurocross. There were so few women that there was actually an award for women helping other women in the field, which Maikki had won twice, and was that year taken by an enduro competitor.


	15. Chapter 15

The after party was what they had all been waiting for. Maikki and her scotch found herself embroiled deep in a conversation with a Yamaha-riding American, who ran motocross, while Valentino was talking to an up-and-coming female rider from Australia, a cute brunette who seemed absolutely thrilled to be in conversation with the champion. And wanted more, judging by the way she touched his arm. 

As her conversation with the rider wrapped up, Maikki deposited her empty glass on a server's tray and made her way toward the bar for a refill, past where Marquez stood, talking to a leggy blonde. She didn't make it very far - apparently her dress had rekindled Marquez's romantic feelings and he reached to cop a feel as she passed, grabbing a handful of her ass.

Maikki spun and, using all of the leverage she had available, punched her ex in the eye. His expression turned dark as he swung back to glare at her, his hand over his face.

"You cunt!" That came during a lull in the music. Now people were staring.

"Keep your fucking hands to yourself, filth," Maikki spat in Spanish, recoiling from him as far as she could. She had seen that temper before, never directed at her, and had seen the aftermath. At least there was one plus - she could speak pretty easily if she wasn't thinking at all. 

"I'll do what I want, Maikki. That was mine first," He gestured to her body, getting a disgusted glare from the Finn.

"You're such a pig, Marc."

"At least I'm talented,"

"Excuse me?" Maikki knew she shouldn't have responded, should have kept walking. But the scotch she had been drinking had other ideas.

"Yeah, Maikki. You're washed up. You couldn't have won that championship if you tried, and now you're bascially deformed."

"How full of yourself are you?" There was a hand on her arm, and she realized Valentino was trying to pull her away.

"You know, you two are the perfect pair. Two washouts -"

The fiery-tempered Italian lunged past Maikki toward where Marc stood, and Maikki barely got a hold of his belt to stop him as Baz and the tall motocross guy she had been talking to earlier got between the pair, effectively breaking them up. She could hear Pedrosa hissing at Marc telling him to go home and dry out as she wrapped her arms around Vale's waist, holding her to him. With her tall heels, she could murmur in his ear. 

"It's ok, kultaseni, it's ok," After a few deep breaths, he wrapped his fingers through hers, prying her arms away so he could turn and take her face in his hands.

"Are you ok, cara mia?" He asked, his temper already somewhat subsided as his thumbs rubbed her cheekbones. Maikki let her hands rest on his wrists as she nodded, wishing they were alone so she could kiss him.

Apparently, Valentino had no such reservations, and pulled her face to his for a kiss.

"Vale," Maikki breathed as he pulled his lips away, slightly shocked. Vale grinned down at her, and shrugged apologetically,

"Couldn't help it. Let's get you a fresh drink," She let him pull her toward the bar by the hand, figuring there was really no worth in trying to pretend they weren't together any more. She perched on one of the stools, hooking her heels on the bottom bar as Vale rested his hand on the small of her back.

"I guess I fucked up the privacy thing,"

"Just a little,"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Maikki shrugged, taking a sip of her fresh scotch. "It wouldn't have lasted anyway,"

"Why is that?" She reached up to touch her fingers to his cheek, smiling knowingly.

"Because there's about a million pictures of the way you look at me on the red carpet." He was just about to lean in for another peck when Maverick pulled up beside them for another drink.

"Very discreet, guys," He joked, clapping Vale on the back with a grin. "I thought we were just trying to keep it between the old dogs,"

"I am not old!" Maikki protested, reaching past Vale's shoulder to tweak Maverick's nose. "I'm only a year older than you."

"Yeah, well. What was Marc shouting about? I couldn't hardly hear him over the music."

"I wish nobody had," Maik murmured, looking away. She still felt violated by the whole thing, and for good reason, really. Just because she was wearing a slightly risque number didn't mean she was anyone's to grope. Her boyfriend took the initiative to explain what had happened, his expression still dark.

"He called her deformed." Vale began - as if that were the beginning of the story. Maverick swore under his breath, looking over to where Pedrosa and a few members of the factory Honda press team were still trying to convince Marquez it was time to go home. She knew from experience that the man didn’t drink often enough to tolerate alcohol well. 

"Well, that was after he grabbed my ass and told me I was his first. I'd imagine you making cow's eyes at me all night made him jealous."

"Making... Cow's... Eyes?" Valentino's impression of her Finnish saying wasn't bad - accurate enough to make her realize that she had said it in Finnish, not English. 

"Looking... longingly?" Maikki explained, as Maverick chuckled.

"Maik, in that getup, I'm fucking looking at you longingly." A questioning glance from Vale made Maverick visibly backpedal, and Maikki giggled as she twirled her glass in her hand, assessing how much was left in it. 

"Down, boy. Mav will keep his hands to himself." Maikki finished the rest of her glass of scotch. "Besides, it's kind of nice to be checked out for once. I don't feel like everyone thinks I'm... damaged."

"You're on the bike on Monday?" Maverick asked, as Maikki nodded. "I know you're not damaged."

Cryptic, Maikki thought as he walked away, off with his beer. Vale brushed his fingers across her jaw, still "making cow's eyes" at her.

"How late do you want to stay out?" He asked, stroking his fingers over her scar.

"I'm not sure, it doesn't seem like anyone else is seeking my advice," She murmured with a grin.

"Good, because I need to take that dress off."


	16. Chapter 16

Maikki took the keycard from Vale as he tried to swipe it in their hotel room door, missing as she pinned him against it, her lips at his jawbone. She deftly pressed it into the reader, waiting for the click she could barely hear before she pulled it out and opened the door. 

Vale almost fell backward as the door he leaned on opened, but he pulled Maikki into the room with him, his hands squeezing her ass through the skirt of her sheer dress. The door slipped shut behind them as he pressed her back into the cold mirror, his body fitted against hers, his cock hard against her hips. He held her face in both hands as he kissed her, as if she might try to escape. Hers slipped between them, trying to disrobe him. 

“Frisky,” Vale murmured, pulling away to unbutton the first few buttons of his shirt for her. She had undone his thin tie in the uber, and it was draped across her neck. 

“Really, Vale?” Maikki sighed as his fingertips brushed over her chest, reaching between her back and the mirror to start to unbutton the dress. “Careful, I can’t afford to replace those,”

He turned her around, his fingers surprisingly gentle against the buttons trailing down her back even as he pushed her hard into the mirror with his hips, his teeth scraping against the side of her neck. Vale sighed her name as he started to relieve her of the dress, pulling the three-quarter sleeve top down around her wrists and waist. He kissed his way down her spine as he slipped the garment off, teasing it over her tall boots and over her feet, careful of the heels. 

Maikki shivered in delight as his lips fell on the skin between her boots and the high-waisted underwear she wore, squeezing her waist as he kissed the middle of her back. His fingers were deft as he pulled the caged bralette up and over her head, piling it on top of the dress. 

Fuck, the mirror was cold against her skin. Vale didn’t seem to care as he stepped back just enough to unbutton his shirt, but not enough to let her move. She let her fingers drift down to his belt, pulling it off to discard as she undid his slacks. He was left in his boxer briefs, just a little more than what she was wearing - if one ignored the boots that covered a good expanse of skin.

“Valentino,” Maikki drew our each syllable, playing with the word in her mouth, her eyes only partially open, the bare skin between her thigh-highs and underwear pressed against the mirror. 

“Maikki, let me take a picture,” He murmured, his lips pressed against her throat before he reached for his phone in the pocket of his discarded pants. 

“Only if I get to take one,” She murmured, but posed as provocatively as her limited modeling career had taught her. Vale took his pictures, and dropped the phone back into the pile of their clothes, toying with the barbell through her right nipple with his fingers as he planted hearty, breathy kisses up her throat, tilting her head back against the mirror with his hand hard under her chin. 

“Kultaseni,” She let the pet name drop off her lips before his closed on them, his almost-naked, fully-aroused body pressing hers against the mirror. The glass had started to warm against her skin, and when he yanked her away from it, goosebumps pebbled across her back from the cold A/C. 

She gasped hoarsely as he threw her down on the bed, but stopped him as he started to pull her underwear off. 

“Not this time, Vale. Sit,” She shifted to the edge of the bed, shifting so he sat and she knelt before him. Maikki pulled off his boxers and parted his knees, leaving him at full mast in front of her. Grinning up at him, Maikki let her hand close around the bottom of his shaft. He moaned as she pressed her lips to the pulsing skin, pushing him into her mouth slowly, her tongue swirling over the head befor she pressed him into the back of her throat. 

For lack of recent practice, it took her a moment to get into her rhythm. She could see Vale’s toes curl as he enjoyed her, obviously resisting the urge to dig his hands into her hair and force her head down. 

“Maikki,” His voice was hoarse and his hands balled into fists on his knees. Maik sunk him deep in the back of her mouth one last time before she pulled away, cracking her neck as she straightened. 

“My turn,” She murmured, pulling her phone from the front of his cast off blazer. Vale raised an eyebrow as she snapped a series of pictures before she dropped her phone by the foot of the bed, crawling over his body. She had to be mindful of the boots she still wore, not to get them caught in the comforter and suffer an embarrassment. 

“Mia stellina,” He murmured, his fingers on the skin of her hips. She shifted above him, and he lowered one hand to her abdomen, one thumb to her clit. Maikki chewed her lip as he did, guiding him toward her slit, teasing them both in her thigh-high boots. “Fuck, cara mia. Maikki, please fuck me,”

“Oh, yeah, Vale?” She asked, reveling in the tantalizing feeling of his head only partially inside of her, one hand holding his hips down. “Do you want me?”

“Maik! Fuck! I need you!” The younger rider grinned, and let herself settle into him, their hips grinding together. 

Maik was stunned as he flipped both of them over, hooking her leg over his elbow as he pressed all the way into her, his lips reaching for hers. The tantalizing slowness of his thrust and the gentle press of his lips on hers made her groan under his touch. 

“Vale,” She moaned, letting him thrust into her. “I’m so close, hani, slow down,” 

“I need you, cara mia. I want you,” He pushed into her, seeking both of their finishes. 

“Vale!” This time, it was a plea. He had her knee by her shoulder and she couldn’t help herself any longer. “Vale, come for me,”

She shuddered onto his body, her head thrown back against the hotel sheets, her fingers tangled in the comforter. He thrust into her a few more times until he finished hard inside of her, his hips grinding into hers. 

“Maik,” Vale’s lips pressed against hers, his fingers buried in her hair. “I love you,”

She recoiled almost instantly, her mind racing. Love? She hadn’t heard the word... well, at least in years. Her mother had never said it. Her longest-lasting lover was Marc, and he certainly hadn’t said it...

“Maikki, are you ok?”

“I’m...” His lips fixed on hers, holding her body to her chest. 

“Don’t say you don’t like to hear that,” Vale murmured, touching her cheek, his lips still against hers as he spoke and their bodies deeply clasped together. “I love you,”

“Vale,”

“I love you,”

“Vale!”

“I love you,”

“Valentino!”

“Maikki. Mia stellina. I love you.”

“Don’t you think -“ She was about to say it was too soon, to give any number of excuses, but he seemed to know that. Valentino always knew. 

“No, my love. My beauty.” He kissed the crease of her collarbone. “I love you.”

“Vale,” She paused, looking up at the crinkles of his smile around his eyes as he looked fondly down on her, chewing his bottom lip. Maikki touched his cheek, let her hand run into his curls so she could pull his face to his, her lips by his ear.

"I love you."


	17. Chapter 17

Maikki woke with a gasp, her limbs splayed like riders were taught to react when they crashed out. Beside her, Valentino gasped awake as she hit him with a face full of her arm, and an unfortunate knee to the nuts.

"What the fuck!" He pushed her away instinctively, shielding himself from another blow before he seemed to realize what had happened.

Meanwhile, Maikki drew into herself, sitting up to scrub her hands over her face and through her hair with a sigh. The night terrors were rough. Even though they had dropped off now that she slept with Vale in his bed more often than not, she still had them when she was nervous - before their red carpet appearances, and tonight, before she was due to get back on the bike at Misano for testing.

The track was conveniently located near the ranch, so they had no need to travel, but was also ominously named after Marco Simoncelli. She had just been having a nightmare about his crash - somehow mixing it with her own.

"Maik?" Vale had recovered, and reached for her to pull her back to bed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders without saying another word. Judging by the faint light that was starting to shine through the windows, they probably didn't have much time left to sleep.

Maikki let him drift off before she disentangled herself from her boyfriend's gangly limbs, dressed for her morning run, and slipped out of the bedroom. 

Honestly, she sould probably return to her own apartment between training sessions, Maikki thought as she lapped around Valentino's little half-mile small bikes track. But it was so convenient to be at the ranch - and so comfortable to sleep in her lover's enormous, king-sized bed. Still, she was considering her need for independence as she loped into her sixth mile, closing in on forty-five minutes. She usually ran five miles or just over half an hour, depending on how she felt about what came first, but today she felt the need for another mile to clear her head.

After half a mile and a light cooldown stretch, Maikki turned to go inside. The house would be starting to wake, and she needed a shower before she started on breakfast. 

Vale didn't bother to ask where she had gone off to as she padded through the kitchen, tennis shoes held by the laces in her hand. She buzzed by for a peck, surprised as his hands ran over her sweaty torso as she passed by. 

"Coffee?" He offered, reaching for a mug.

"Yeah, can you start a pot?"

She retreated to take a shower, and returned with her t-shirt slung over her shoulder. Vale was sitting on the granite counter, watching quietly as she started to assemble her ingredients for breakfast. She planned to throw together a few frittatas, with bacon and hash browns for the boys, and a fruit smoothie for her. Maikki had a photo shoot coming up after she got back on the bike, and even though she wasn't sure what the results of their track day would be, she had to start eating healthier to prepare.

Vale pushed a cup of coffee into her hands with a kiss, pressing his lips to her cheek. Maikki paused to take a sip, catching his fingers with her free hand. 

"I'm ready," She murmured against his cheek, pressing the side of her body into his. Valentino nodded, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders for a long moment.

"You still have time, you know," He was obviously concerned about her morning, and she had to appreciate his care. But she knew it. She was ready. Nervous, but ready. 

The house stayed quiet that morning, through breakfast and until she crawled into Valentino's Audi to head to the track - like all of the guys were taking a deep breath with her. Vale stayed within arm's reach almost all morning, too, like he was ready to catch her if she fell. It was a strange, surreal feeling, made even more strange and surreal because all the anticipation was centered around an action she used to equate to breathing.

Aahto had flown in for the occasion, and helped her with her chin strap as Maikki sat on her warmed bike, hands on the tank. It was mid-morning, so the sun wasn't too high, and her teammates were working on warming their bikes, about to come back in from the track so she could take off on a sighting lap. She had already been around the track on a smaller bike a few times, but there was 500cc's worth of engine between the Moto2 bike she had worked on for so many years before she moved to GP.

"You're good, Maik. We won't loose the dogs on you until you're ready," It was nice to hear his voice in person, and even better to speak Finnish with someone.

"No, let them do what they want. I'm ready for this, Aahto. I can do this." Maikki put a hand on his shoulder, looking up at him through her open face shield. She could barely hear the bikes of her teammates roar back into the pit as she grinned at her crew chief, gripping his shoulder. "Trust me."

"Always, Maikki." He slapped the top of her helmet and flipped down her face shield. 

At first Maikki took a slow lap, staying high in the corners as she recommitted the layout of the track to memory. She had been on Misano so many times she didn't really need to, but it was the ritual of the thing. Just like how Aahto did up her helmet before every race, and helped her pull it off at the end. Motorbike riders were a superstitious bunch - right now, Valentino was probably "talking" to his bike, crouched down in his leathers by the front wheel. The thought made her smile before she let it flit away, focusing on the road with her free hand on her thigh, sitting upright as she contended with the bike. 

Slowly, she pulled up to pole position, resting her foot on the ground as she pulled in the clutch, staring ahead of her at the first corner of the track. The twin roar of two large engines pulling into second and third behind her distracted the Finn, and she glanced over at her two teammates. They couldn't see her grin, as she turned her face back to the track, tapping her foot as she started to rev the engine high, preparing for an imaginary start.

Vale and Mav took off a split second after her, and so loped in behind her back tire for the first corner. Maikki was always at her best when she got the holeshot - the confidence from an early race victory would often buoy her to at least podium.

She pushed herself into full-on race mode immediately, laying down into the first corner for the holeshot, even though there wasn't any competition for it. But she slowed ever so slightly to let Vale catch up with her - Mav hot on his tail from what she could hear - for a little competition on the next corner. 

Vale took her on the inside.

Fuck, she hadn't meant to let him get that close! Angry with herself - mainly so that she wouldn't be frightened - Maik flowed into the next corner, finding the apex with her tire locked on her lover's, looking to an opening to take or make. She would never pass him on a straight, he was too reckless with his throttle as he came out of a corner, took off too fast.

Maverick was breathing down her neck, Maik realized as she took a corner just a little too wide, and caught sight of him behind her.

After ten solid laps, Maikki led the trio into the pit, where Aahto caught her handlebars, grinning like a maniac as he kicked a stand under the front tire. 

"Look at you!" He started on her chin strap, pulling off her tight helmet as Maikki smiled broadly and dumped her gloves into the helmet he offered reflexively before he popped it onto her tank. Their after-race ritual over, Maikki hopped off the bike and threw her arms around her friend, laughing into his neck. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"I'm not sure why I was even scared at all," Maikki managed, unzipping the top of her overalls, pulling them off over her shoulders just as a pair of familiar hands clasped them. 

"Brava, cara mia! It's like you never left,"

"Yeah, it's not fair that the crash made you even more consistent, psycho!" Maverick thwacked her on the back of the head around Vale's arms, grinning as he came around the side of their teammate to stand next to Aahto with an arm around his shoulder. It was like she had a pair of fathers, grinning at her as her lover turned her toward him for a kiss.

"You're going to beat us, this year," He murmured against her lips, brushing her matted post-ride hair back from her face.

"I doubt it," Maik said with a heady giggle, still riding the adrenaline high of being back on the bide for the first time in too long. "Let's go again?"


	18. Chapter 18

Interviews these days were getting weirder and weirder, Maikki mused as she perused the farmer’s market, an absolutely thrilled Vale in tow. This one required her to go shopping to prepare a meal - sharing the recipe and process while also talking about her life. It was odd. 

Almost as odd as Vale’s presence. Very rarely did he go grocery shopping with her, but today he had wanted to take his Ferrari out, and it would have been difficult for her to bring her groceries back on her cafe racer in the light drizzle that had started up that morning. Though the drizzle had managed to ease up during the white-knuckle tear Vale had taken her in through the countryside to his hometown. 

The Sunday market in Tavullia was always a joy - when she went by herself. The market stalls were absolutely picturesque, and she felt like the main character of a period piece with her basket, surveying the fresh ingredients. At the very least, she felt like a professional chef again. With Valentino in tow, however, the market seemed to be a bit of a to-do. Not only was he the hometown hero who seemed to know every nonna and was required to kiss every baby, but there were always a few fans about, making the pilgrimage to the hometown of VR46. His cult of personality was impressive and endless. As she spent more of her free time with him she had grown to respect it, and had even begun to get caught up in it herself. Though Maikki was famous in her own right, being one of the satellites in Vale's orbit had made her an even more recognizable figure over the years. Now, Vale claimed he orbited around her - "mia stellina," his star - and so his world rotated with him.

It was all very, very strange.

At least the pair cut an impressively cute figure walking through the market - he in a VR46 zip-up and an equally as loud Monster hat because he was always fucking branded, she in all black, motorcycle boots and one of his thicker flannel shirts to keep the chill off. 

“But... what are you going to make?” He asked, as she dumped a bundle of fresh herbs into the basket he carried. She had handed it to him when she realized he was slower than her due to all the greetings and baby-kissing, and she could dart around making her purchases and return to home base to drop them off. 

“They want me to make something healthy. So I’m going to make the whole chicken thing, asparagus and the potato cauliflower mash.” Maikki said with a shrug, twining her fingers through his free hand as they walked.

“And they’re just going to... record it?”

“And edit and then I’ll do a voiceover.” She realized she was talking about that like it was the most normal thing in the world - or that she had done anything like it before. The pair didn't do much to assuage the rumors that they were dating, they simply decided to never address them, letting them fester. It was none of the public's business why they were holding hands in the marketplace, anyway. In a “Facebook official” world of posed pictures and contrived captions, Valentino’s refusal to let the general public into their bedroom was refreshing. 

“So, like, a cooking show?” 

“Yes, Vale.” Maikki added a head of cauliflower to his basket as she handed her euro to the farmer. They went off to find a chicken. 

“It’s just... weird.”

“I mean, you get a lovely dinner out of it,” Maik grinned at him, accepting a quick kiss between stalls before they continued toward the butcher to get the chicken. As they walked, a pair of college-aged women approached Valentino, giggling. He squeezed her hand hard in anticipation of the question she knew was coming.

“Excuse me? Do you have a minute,” The pair were offering Vale a photograph to sign, and looking at Maikki like she was infringing on their moment. With a sigh, she took the basket from Valentino’s elbow to left him to sign the women’s photographs and chat as she went into the butcher to source the chickens she needed for the show - and another for dinner. A single chicken could not stretch between all the men at the house, no matter how many sides she provided.

As she negotiated with the butcher for chickens she could spatchcock, she glanced over her shoulder to see Vale, taking pictures with the women, who were kissing his cheek. It was fine, she told herself firmly, it was what his fans wanted. With a basketful of raw chicken and veggies that was almost heavier than she liked to carry, Maikki returned to Vale’s side. 

“Kultaseni, I need to head home,” 

“Ah, my love calls. It was nice to meet you, ladies.” Well that made Maik feel less jealous, and she couldn’t help but beam at the man as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and took the basket, only briefly expressing shock about how heavy it was. “Thank. God. Cara. Mia.”

“What?”

“They were starting to get handsy.”

“You’re a big boy, hani, you could have -“

“Maikki. They’re my fans. They are why I have a career.” She sighed as he let his hand drift down to her lower back, rubbing it slowly, poignantly. He had a point, it wasn't like any of them could go telling off their fans for being grabby - any attempt to came off as the rider in question showing diva-like behavior. It was especially difficult for Valentino, who was one of the old dogs, and absolutely not a diva. But he came from the era of diva drivers, and the tabloids were quick to jump on that.

"I know. It's just... It can be difficult."

Vale held the door of his bright yellow 458 open for her, and leaned in over her as she did up her seat belt to give her a kiss on the cheek. He did little things like that so often - like tying her shoe or doing up her seatbelt, helping with stubborn buttons more often than not. At first she thought it was deeply paternal and strange, but service was Vale’s love language. And it always gave him an excuse to leave his hands on her, just like he did now. 

"You know, I get jealous too," He murmured against her skin, before he closed the door. Maikki sighed, leaning back into her seat with the basket on her lap. The difference was that Vale liked getting jealous.


	19. Chapter 19

There had been a little debate as to where Maikki should take her cooking interview - her place, or Valentino's well-appointed kitchen. It had taken him a while to convince her that she should use his kitchen. His argument was a convincing one, not only would it be easier to film in, but that the food would already be where it needed to be to be eaten. As he helped her lug the full basket of fresh veggies into the kitchen, Maik was glad she had let him get his way. 

For a time. 

“Hey, Maikki’s back!” The shout from one of the Moto2 kids made Maikki frown as she turned the corner into Valentino’s well-appointed kitchen. With the very first round of preseason prototype testing going on at Misano, they had a full house. Which lent itself to all kinds of mischief when groups of people found themselves with time between practice rounds. 

Mischief that always seemed to manifest itself in the kitchen. 

“Oh my god, Pecco, what have you done?” She singled out the younger rider because he was manning the stove. He seemed to be churning out scrambled eggs, but someone seemed to have made bacon in a pan judging by the splatters of grease that the egg shells sat on. “You know I was going to make fucking breakfast!”

“We didn’t know when you were coming back,” Luca protested through a mouthful of the offending bacon. 

“Quit while you’re ahead, Luca. You could have easily texted one of us.” Vale said, unloading the basket to the fridge. Meanwhile, Maikki pulled the trash can free of its cabinet and started a wholesale cleaning of the trash and scraps from the countertops. 

“I’m filming in here today, guys.” Abandoning the trash to wash her hands, she shuffled Pecco aside to see what could be done to salvage the eggs. They could be saved with cheese and perhaps some green onion, she mused, pulling them off the heat to get to work. “And I was going to make hash browns, too.”

That one was met with groans. The guys particularly liked her hash browns - she knew mentioning them would cut them deep. Maybe she’d make them tomorrow, just because she felt bad. 

“Ugh, I can’t with this. Can you at least get the dishes clean after breakfast?” She shuffled the eggs off onto a serving tray and placed the pan back on the stovetop. She clicked the gas off before she turned to accept Valentino’s kiss. “I gotta shower.”

“You want some company?” Maik grinned with an eyebrow raised at the question, her hands flat on his chest. 

“Oh my god it’s like watching your parents make out!” Nico complained, staring at his plate. “I’m not even hungry any more.”

Maikki flipped him off with a broad grin as Valentino scooped her up into his chest with an arm under her seat, pulling her feet off the ground. 

She couldn’t help but giggle as he carried her to his bedroom, especially because she knew he didn’t mean to get up to any funny business. He had business meetings to be in all day, and Vale claimed it was better to be riled up than satisfied for them. She believed him. 

It didn’t stop her from stealing kisses in the shower before they rejoined the group. 

The format of the day meant Maikki had to give up her flat track training for the day, especially because she had to prep a lunch for a hungry group of men that wouldn’t have access to the house much less the kitchen. The result was a pile of sandwiches, wraps, and a crisp broccoli salad nestled on trays that she tasked Nico and Luca to carry down to the “boys dorm” fridge.

“God this is so much food, Maikki,” Luca noted, testing the weight of the pair of trays he had stacked in his arms.

“Yeah, I need to talk to Vale about hiring a new chef,” She mused, waving the boys off. 

“But then what would keep you around, mia stellina?” The man in question asked from behind her, closing the fridge with his hip.

“Surely not because I like it here at all,” Maikki murmured, pulling her buzzing phone out of her pocket with a sigh. “Christina’s here.”

“I’ll go let her in,”

“Oh Valentino, you don’t have to -“ He was already gone. Maik sighed as she surveyed the kitchen and all the work she needed to do to clean it up. 

Christina came to the house without Valentino, considering Maikki’s hair from across the kitchen as Maikki wiped down the surfaces. 

“Where’s Valentino?” Maik asked, finally pausing so Christina could assess her hair. 

“He’s apparently showing the crew around.” She’s said with a shrug, reaching to inspect Maikki’s nails. “Come on, I can touch you up pretty quick in the bathroom.” 

The cameras and lights were almost set up by the time Maikki and Christina emerged from Vale’s bathroom. She accepted a quick peck on the wheel from her boyfriend before he led Christina out to the track, chatting about how one of the boys had an eye on the stylist. Maikki knew he was just trying to stall, taking as long as possible to go down to the office and work with Albi. Business days weren’t his favorite. 

After some last-minute staging and a discussion about her menu with the producer and the interviewer, Makkki stood in Valentino's kitchen in some sponsored threads - soft yoga gear from Lululemon. Maikki had always been sponsored differently than the guys, who wore logo-covered, branded gear. As a longtime yogi, Maik was sponsored by a few yoga-type athletic brands that she had to mention in interviews and her Instagrams. She had actually been in talks about partnering with "Lulu" to design her own line - that was going to lead to her own business day. Those also weren’t her favorite. 

Well, there surely were worse ways to live.

"Ok, so what we're making today," Maikki began working through her menu on a piece of slate, trying to use her best handwriting. There were several takes before she got it right - including a few incidents where she mixed up her languages. It was extremely frustrating, but she had to keep her cool, breathing and occasionally stopping to shake out her wrists, a nervous yogi tic she had picked up.

"There's gonna be a few outtakes, aren't there? Blooper reel?" She joked, assembling her chicken in front of her on her cutting board. She had one for the show, but had cut up another two that she had braised, because chicken for nine hungry dudes - the riders, and Aahto.

While they filmed her prep work, Maikki turned on music to dance to - Ghost, her current favorite jam. She danced, did a handstand on the countertop, fought with nine sweaty men who had come home early off the track, tried to dodge a sweaty kiss from Valentino, and finally tuned back into her show. They were in for quite a time-lapse. 

Finally, after three hours, the film crew took a few shots of the boys tucking in, and then started to pack up. 

"You should do more interviews like that, Maik," Nicolo commented, gesturing with a big quarter of chicken. 

“Man, it’s like you don’t come here that often, Nico,” Albi joked from his seat next to Vale.


	20. Chapter 20

Stretching against a tweak in her back, Maikki watched as a group of riders made their way around the flat track, slipping and sliding in contention with one another. It was about time to start heading in, but she remained to give pointers, her bike leaned against a post beside Valentino’s. The Italian stood beside her, his hands on his hips as he watched the group under the lights. 

“Ana needs to lean more,” He murmured, reaching an arm out to wrap around Maikki’s waist. “And Celestino as well.”

“It looks like they’re afraid of falling.”

“Then we’ll have to drill them on that. You can drill them on that.”

“Well that’s not fair, I’m afraid of falling too,” Maikki’s chuckle was dark as she leaned her head against Valentino’s shoulder, breathing in the smell of him - sweat, leather, gas.

“Then I’ll drill you all.”

Maik had to resist the urge to laugh at his unintentional innuendo as the pair turned back to their bikes, Valentino’s hand still on the flat of her back. They still hadn’t quite figured out how much PDA they wanted to engage in and where, it was an interesting give-and-take to the Finn. She wasn’t nearly as touchy-feely as the lanky Italian, but she let him get away with a lot. Valentino would have had a hand against her skin at all times if he could. 

With official testing beginning in Maisano the next weekend, MotoGP riders were gathering at the ranch for practice and play, as usual. They were going to be running a packed house - and a packed dorm - because Vale hated making people stay in Tavullia’s hotels with “all of this room.” This weekend was particularly interesting because, for the first time since the accident, there were female riders around for Maikki coach. She was doing her best to impart wisdom on them when few were eager to learn from her. Of four women two were moving into Moto2 and he other two were still part of Moto3. Elena and Ana had made it quite clear that they would prefer to spend time with Valentino, which both annoyed and amused the Finn. To be fair, Maikki would have felt the same way when she was moving into Moto2 - had felt the same way. She had the privelage of being the only woman then, though. Still was at her level. But it had become clear to her that she had lessons to learn from riders at all levels. 

What was actually annoying was the constant flirting. Valentino was naturally gregarious and charismatic, and the girls ate it up, fawning over him whenever they had the chance. There had been more than a few jealous glares aimed in her direction that weekend, and it was only Friday. It wasn’t the first time she had been jealous and it wouldn’t be the last, but she kept her distance, letting him come to her if he wanted to. In her mind, it was a sign of trust. She wasn’t worried that he would go off with these women, just annoyed that it felt like he was actually entertaining their advances. 

Of course, Friday night was also party night. Saturday was too, to be fair, but Friday meant eating a slow-cooked dish like a stew or a roast around the fire with some of Graziano’s homemade sangria. And wine. Too much wine. 

Maikki sat in a folding chair on the deck, one leg dangling over the arm of the chair, discussing the events of the day with Pecco. He was always ready to hear advice but less ready to give it, and she had to coax it out of him. 

“I don’t know Maikki. You know I hate this. Don’t be offended. But it’s like you’re holding back. You’re not being as aggressive.”

“Why would I be offended? That’s great advice. I’m absolutely holding back.” She laughed, taking a sip of her sangria. 

“Why?”

“It’s kind of obvious, isn’t it? I’m afraid of falling again. I’ll drill myself out of it, sooner or later. Probably go to Qatar with some beautiful bruises.” She held out her shaking left hand, watching it as a tremor pulled her fingers tightly into her palm. It was possibly worse than the brain damage she had sustained, the tremor. It inhibited her use of the engine mapping that was essential to MotoGP these days. Sure, it was getting better with physical therapy, but it still made her life just a little more difficult. Maik stretched out her fingers and closed them into a fist, sitting up straight to finish her sangria. “Need a freshie?”

“Nah. Think I’m gonna shoot my shot at one of the chicks,” Pecco grinned impishly, popping out of his chair to circle around the fire pit. Valentino sat in a folding chair like it was his throne, holding court with a group of other riders who all sought his advice. Maik tried not to grimace at a hand on his knee, further ignoring which of the female riders it belonged to as she ducked into the house. 

Graziano leaned on the counter, considering a big jug of sangria. 

“Something wrong?” Maik asked, reaching for the pitcher. Graziano shook his head, pointing to the fridge.

"There's another one in there, girlie," With a sigh, Maikki changed course, refilling her glass with one foot propped up above her knee in a sort of lazy tree pose.

She had gotten used to Graziano calling her girlie over the years - it was sort of like a fond nickname, one that he called his daughter, too. Maikki had been given a lot of diminutive nicknames aimed to diminish her status as a racer during her career. In a fit of anger, she had once stitched "babe" into her leathers for a race, which stung because it had stuck with her. She was referred to as "babe" almost as often as "Flying Finn" and, what she actually normally had stitched into her leathers, "Automaton." That had been a Nick Harris-ism which had stuck hard and fast, and even led to her crew being nicknamed "the Machinists."

"Fuck, this one's strong,"

"So's this one," Graziano glanced up at her, an eyebrow quirked. "Get me some of those strawberries."

Maik did as she was told, slicing up a handful of strawberries with a paring knife, skinning and slicing an apple for good measure. Graziano added them all to his brew, muddling them in a separate glass with a dash of red wine before he did. Maikki managed to retain a few wedges of the apple to crunch on as she watched him work. 

"You upset with my kid?" He asked after a minute, stirring the mixture with his eyes on Maik. She hadn't expected him to be so blunt, but then, Graziano always was. He also had a knack for knowing when something was wrong, just like his son. Maybe they were just good at reading her, Maik mused as she swirled the sangria in her glass, taking a sip.

"Nah, it's not him." She said finally, leaning on the counter as Graziano waited for his flavors to "get to know one another" so he could taste test his batch. "I'm not the jealous type."

"You sound like you're reminding yourself of that," Graziano murmured, taking a sip. He smiled contentedly. "Ah, that one will be perfect."

"You should start on another one, they're guzzling out there." 

"If they want to guzzle, they can drink the wine." He handed her the pitcher, forcing the Finn to hastily set her glass down so she could bear it to the refrigerator. "Don't be mad at Valentino. He is a good boy."

Maik raised an eyebrow at the old Italian, wondering if he had finally lost it in his old age. "Thanks, I guess?"

"You're welcome." The ex-racer gathered his wine glass and headed to the back porch, leaving Maikki to stare after him in wonder. He reminded her of Rafiki, sometimes, giving strange and cryptic advice that somehow was always somewhat relevant. Maik sighed, stretching her hands up to the ceiling then dropping them to the ground, trying to stretch the small of her back. 

"Oh, quit showing off and get me some alcohol," Maik spun on her heel toward the familiar voice, grinning at Scott, a rider she hadn't seen in a while. 

"Not unless I get a hug first," Maikki demanded, holding her arms open to the Brit, who obliged her with a bear hug that lifted her toes off the ground. "Is Kiara coming?"

"She's got a race tomorrow, but she should be by Sunday." Scott accepted a glass from Maikki and helped himself to a glass of wine. "So here I am, late for the party,"

"You'll catch up," Valentino's hand on her waist made Maikki jump as he moved her aside to clasp hands with Redding. Maikki called it the bro hug. "We didn't expect you tonight,"

"I figured getting here tonight would be better than tomorrow morning, yeah? Got a room for me?"

“I think we can make room,” Vale winked, waving to indicate the Ducati rider should walk toward the guest room. “One of them is open - try the second door, right Maik?”

“We’ll be neighbors,” She winked, hopping up on the counter with her drink as Scott left with his bags. 

“We should just move you into my room,” Vale observed, nuzzling his nose into her cheek, his hands on her knees. 

“I could move back to Cattolica if you need the room,” She joked as she set her glass down. “I’m not sure, Vale. Part of me thinks I still need my own space.”

“You end up on the couch when you sleep alone. Every time.”

“Almost every time.”

“Almost every time.” He conceded, his lips soft on the corner of hers. Maikki closed her eyes, twining her fingers in his, palm to palm. “Whatever you want, cara mia. Whatever makes you happy,”

As usual, Vale waited for her to turn her lips to his, his long lashes teasing her scarred cheek until she did. He tasted like sangria with a little touch of smoke that wasn’t from the fire - he must have snagged a cigarette somewhere. Maikki stroked his stubble with her free hand before she pressed her forehead into his to separate their lips, trying to be mindful of company. Mainly, the fact that they were in full view of the revelers around the fire pit. She didn’t know why she cared so much - his lips were so sweet, his touch comforting - but it was hard to override her inner Finn. 

“Well that’s new, innit?” Scott’s voice was uncomfortably close as he retrieved his drink from where he left it on the kitchen counter. Maikki felt heat rise in her cheeks, but Valentino grinned broadly. Well, at least she didn’t have to try to deny that he was fucking adorable when he smiled any more. “When did that happen?”

“Recently.” Maikki’s answer was in Finnish, which darkened her cheeks further. Vale answered for her, semi-translating into Italian. Married to an Italian, Scott’s grasp on the language was just short of fluency, even if his accent was atrocious according to Vale. 

“Good for you. About fucking time.“

“That’s the reaction half the time,” Maik murmured, reaching for her glass. “The other half isn’t so favorable.”

“Oh, I’ve seen both of you play the game. People need to get off their horses,” Scott’s accent really was bad - the queen’s English tainted his Italian, rendering it just shy of comical. “Andrea will be jealous,”

Well, fuck. Maikki couldn’t help but glare at Scott, her eyes narrowed. Andrea was one of the people who hadn’t gone to FIM - he had been between seats - so he would have missed the altercation with Marc and her interactions with Vale. 

“Dovi is here, he is fine. You slept with Dovizioso, Maikki?” Valentino lifted an eyebrow at Maikki’s flat expression, his eyes widening slightly as realization crossed his face. “Oh, Iannone.”

“Yes, Iannone. I think he thought you two had something, Maikki.”

“Scott Redding, town gossip,” Maikki murmured, shaking her head. “I think he’ll be just fine.”

“He better be. He is on his way,” Vale was still grinning impishly, pulling on his earring as he glanced down the hall. As she slugged back the rest of her sangria, Maikki did a mental count of the rooms available in the house. 

“Oh, fuck, do we even have room for him? He always runs with an entourage.”

“All you Italian types do,” Scott had refilled his glass and headed for the door before Maikki could complain about being lumped in with the Italian types. He left her with Valentino, who set his hands on her knees, staring into her eyes with a smile quirked. 

“I have a feeling that you’re going to get me into trouble some day,” He murmured as he pressed his lips against her nose. He was swaying slightly to her ever-present music, and Maikki hopped off the counter to wrap her arms around his chest, swaying with him. 

“Hey man, I had a life before you,” She murmured with a laugh, her face pressed against his throat. He rested his chin on her head. “I’ll move into your room tomorrow.”

“Deal,” Vale’s spindly fingers tilted her chin up to his. “I love you,”

His words sent goosebumps trailing across her skin, and Maikki giggled as she shivered. She reached up to grab a handful of his curls and pulled his lips to hers.


	21. Chapter 21

With a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a fresh glass of wine in hand, Maikki was well equipped to ignore the glares of the women at the fire. Apparently, at least two of them had though this weekend would be their shot at the legendary champion - which, was fair, Maikki mused. It wasn’t like he had announced he wasn’t single, and he really did have a solid playboy reputation. With a sigh, Maikki plopped onto a bench by Scott and Pol Espargaro, crossing her legs under her thighs as she tuned into their conversation. 

“I think this is my favorite part of racing,” Scott was saying, accepting a bottle of grappa that was being passed around. He took a hearty swig and handed it to Maikki. 

“What, the drinking or the learning?” Maik mused before she took a sip. 

“Yes.” She couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she leaned to pass the bottle past a sleeping Pecco to Luca. She could feel Vale’s watchful gaze on her from the other side of the fire, as the youths continued to fawn over him. 

“The camaraderie?” Maikki had to take two stabs at the word before she got it in English, chewing her lip with a frown. “Mother fucker,”

“I love that you swear just fine,” Pol joked into his empty wine glass, twirling it in his fingers. “How has it been, Maikki?”

“I’m riding again. I’m still competitive. So it’s fine.” She sighed and took a slug of her drink. “Some days it’s fucking rough.”

Luca was convincing a very drunk Pecco to get up and go to bed, but otherwise, there was a pensive hush over the revelers, broken only by Luca’s deep murmurs and Maikki’s metal. 

“I don’t know guys, do you want a full diagnostic? I thought I could get away with I’m fine.’”

“Fuck, Maikki, you were dead for three minutes. There’s no way you’re fine,” Scott started in on her, frowning. 

“I would have quit. Any one of us would have quit." Dovi contributed on her right. Embarrassed by the attention, Maikki leaned her head back against the soft chair and rubbed her free hand over her eyes. God, she hated the prodding - less so from her fellow riders than she did from the media, but she still didn't like it. Here she was trying to be normal, with a bunch of men who would murder her on the track in a heartbeat worrying about her brain damage. Maikki sighed.

"No, you wouldn't have. That's the thing with us rider types. We're already a little fucked in the head. I'm just a little more fucked now," Maikki murmured with a laugh, catching the pack of cigarettes Dani hucked at her from across the fire. That man was perceptive, she mused as she lit one and tossed the pack back. "What? Why are you looking at me like that, Redding?"

"You're something else," Scott shook his head, still frowning. "All you girls who ride are."

"And you married one of us, even," Maik reached to tweak his nose, trading the cigarette for the grappa as she did. "Anyway, I don't agree. We're no different than you."

"Hey, don't give up on our special status. I like being more equal," Anastassia joked across the fire, where she was sitting uncomfortably close to Vale. Or maybe comfortably close, Maik mused. She couldn't hold it against any of the women to go after him, he was a catch. 

"How would you compare being a woman in motorcycling?" Dani came in hot with the interview question, but Maikki was ready to fire back. Really, she appreciated that he was steering the conversation away from her head.

"Compare to what?"

"To being a guy in motorcycling," He clarified, as if she had been stupid to ask. Maik shook her head, smiling. 

"I mean, I have no frame of reference. I can't say it's harder or anything, everyone is different." Maikki shrugged again, watching Valentino rise across the fire. 

"I don't know, I think it's absolutely harder. Just look at the way we're photographed." Elena provided. The four other women - Ana, Anastassia, Avalon, and Elena - were cued into the conversation now, but it wasn't like they were really helping Maikki prove a point. Whatever that point might be.

"Is that because we're female moto riders or just because we're female in general?" Maikki asked, jumping just a little as Valentino leaned over her shoulder, reaching for her wine glass. She let him take it, quirking an eyebrow up at him as he disappeared from her line of vision. Meanwhile, the girls weren't content to accept Maikki's reasoning for the difference between photographs of male MotoGP racers and females.

"It's not like I pose like that, you have to be firm and tell them no, I'm not going to unzip my leathers or whatever." Maikki's eyebrows shot up at Ana, shocked by the strange almost-allegation that Maikki was being taken advantage of by photographers in her shoots. She decided not to bite back, pursing her lips as she waited for the other women to continue.

"Yeah, I don't let photographers do that to me. I'm super careful about what I appear in and with whom." Elena added. Maik felt her frown deepen as she reached to accept her drink from Vale when it reappeared in the corner of her vision. He stayed, hovering over her shoulder as he leaned against the arm of the chair. From her peripheral vision, she could see he was having a silent conversation with his father overhead. 

"I don't think I like what you're... insinuating." Maik had to think hard about the word before she summoned it, eyes narrowed. 

"I don't think I'm insinuating anything. I'm saying your media hits take away from your career." Elena shot back - her frank tone almost made Maikki spit wine back into her glass. As it was, she took another gulp before she replied, covering the time it took her to think.

"Good thing I have a lot of career to diminish," Maikki murmured dangerously over the quiet crackling of the fire, ignoring the shocked expressions of the men around her as she glared at Elena. 

"What are you saying?"

"I don't think I need to explain myself." 

"Alright, alright, no cat fights, ladies," Both of the riders turned to glare at Dovi with narrowed eyes, who recoiled visibly.

"It's not a cat fight, just a fucking fight, Andrea," Elena provided, turning her attention back to Maikki. "If you can call it that. I don't think I need to prove my point, it's been proven for me."

"Excuse me?" Graziano was shaking his head as he apparently willed Maikki to stop, but Maikki ignored him, glaring pointedly at Elena still. Valentino was probably mirroring her expression, his hand on her shoulder, squeezing her with gradually increasing pressure. The rest of the group seemed to either be enjoying the tirade, or were too strained trying to keep up to contribute or stop what was going on.

"You're the biggest slut in motorsports, you slept your way -"

"Oh, you sweet thing. You really think that?"

"You've slept with half the field. I know that."

"And you think a single one of the men I've ever slept with would let me pass them? Would give me an inch in a corner?" Maikki took a sip of her wine, accepting a freshly lit cigarette from Dani who had switched places with Valentino to hover behind her. "That's wrong, it's almost adorable.”

"Don't you call me adorable," Elena's face was red, her teeth bared. Much more heated than Maikki felt - the only truly annoying thing about this conversation, outside of the fact that it had to happen at all, was that she had to think about what she was going to say before she said it. She could cut the poor woman down, but chose not to. 

"It is, though. You talk about the double standard for women in motorsports, and yet here you are, calling me a slut." She had to pause, thinking through her words to make sure they were all in one language. "Does anyone else care to air any grievances?"

"Yeah, how have you slept with half of the field and passed me over?" Scott supplied, breaking the tension of the moment as he gestured with a cigarette in hand. "I'm well and truly offended."

"Yeah, actually, I don't think anyone here has slept with Maikki," Dovi said with a shrug, glancing up from his phone as Dani coughed his disagreement through a gulp of grappa. "Oh? Is there more truth to the rumor than we think?"

"Andrea, are you blind? Or just dumb?" Danilo pointed past Maikki's head - she didn't even need to turn to know what Valentino's face looked like, sitting next to his father. She turned in her chair, reaching for the grappa to take a long gulp as conversation started to crash back in around the disbelief. 

"It started off with the right intentions," Scott shrugged, taking the bottle from her hand. 

"To be fair, I'm sure he looks very proud of himself," Maik murmured, rolling her eyes. If she kept this up, they were going to fall out of her head.


	22. Chapter 22

Maik hadn't been able to endure much of the ribbing about her and Valentino from the guys before she had to go to sleep - after all, she was always the first up to make breakfast. No one had been able to argue with her declaration that if they wanted pancakes in the morning, she had to go to sleep. At least she had the satisfaction of outlasting Elena, who had vanished soon after her altercation with Maikki.

Sleep didn't come easily, though. She tossed and turned in her plush comforter, even rolling herself off the bed at one point. It wasn't her usual night terrors, or insomnia because she was worried about getting back on the bike - the night terrors never caused her problems going to sleep, and she wasn't worried about testing. She couldn't be sure.

The sounds of the party died down, the sounds of the house turning in for the night passed, and a hush fell over the Ranch. Maikki's favorite time. She was considering getting up and going to hang out by whatever embers of the fire were left in the firepit when a quiet knock came at her door.

Maik pulled the mess of a comforter around her shoulders to cover her skin as she stood, crossing the room to open the door a smidge. She wasn’t surprised to see Valentino leaning in the doorframe, gym shorts hanging off his lean hips. 

“Christ, what time is it?” She asked quietly, letting him into the room. He didn’t answer, not even when she tucked herself into his arms, her face nuzzled into his sharp collarbones. “Couldn’t turn it off?”

“No.” Valentino’s arms wrapped around her shoulders gently, squeezing her into his chest. Like many riders, Valentino had tinnitus - ringing in the ears caused by the howl of the engine. Maikki could usually drown hers out with the music she listened to constantly, but Vale was starting to have a harder time with it. “Couldn’t stop thinking,”

“About what?”

“Maikki, are you... ashamed of me?” She couldn’t even grasp the question - where was this coming from? When was she ever ashamed of who she slept with, who she chose to be with? Maikki looked up at the man, her eyebrows knit. 

“What makes you think that, kultaseni?”

“I just... You’re like a cat. You don’t let me touch you unless you want me to. You ignore me around other people. I don’t get it,”

“I mean, that’s a pretty apt description,” Maik murmured, reaching from under her comforter cape to press her fingers against his lips. “Why would I ever be ashamed of you? I love you.”

“Why don’t you show it?” This close, she could see his knit brows, his frown. Maikki traced over the lines of his smile, the crinkles beside his eyes. 

“Have I ever been one to show it? As long as you’ve known me, Vale.”

The question gave him pause, and he pulled on his earring. 

“I just... I feel like I touch you less now. I used to hug you, hold you without you pulling away. Why has being with me stopped that?” It was a good question, but she hated it when he answered a question with a question. Maik sighed, pushing her hair out of her face. 

“I’m still figuring out... a lot, Vale.” His hands started to unravel the blanket from around her shoulders, fingertips brushing across her skin. "But you're right. I've pulled away."

"Why?"

"Not sure," Maikki paused as he pulled her into his arms, her skin pressed against his. She let her arms drape over his shoulders, toying with his curls. "I can do better,"

"It's not a 'do better' thing, mia stellina. If it's not something you're comfortable with, I won't do it."

"No!" The desperation in her hoarse whisper almost surprised her, and she felt his smile spread over her temple. 

His calloused fingertips tilted her chin up to his, his mouth hovering over hers. She could feel the heat radiating off his skin, giving her goosebumps. She lived for these moments - the ones where it felt like it was the first time she ever kissed him. Maik let her eyes stay open, studying his face even though it was probably more familiar to her than her own was. The stubble he kept, the little mole on his upper lip. The lines that framed his mouth, crinkled by the smirk that almost always twisted his full lips. The lightest dusting of freckles over his nose, long lashes that brushed against his cheeks, his high cheekbones, the curls that tumbled around his ears. He had kept them long for her - for years, apparently, because she had told him once she liked his hair wild and curly. 

Maik wrapped one of the curls around her finger, smiling as he nuzzled his nose into her cheek. She turned her face and pressed her lips softly into his, noting the little thrill that shocked her skin, sent goosebumps down her arms. To his credit, Valentino held her loosely, his long fingers spread over the sides of her hips. 

This. This moment, where it was just them, their bodies pressed comfortably together, his soft curls under her fingers. This was how she knew she loved him. 

He planted a kiss on her collarbone, stroking her skin as she giggled at the tickling of his curls on her skin. 

"Valentino?"

"Si, cara mia?"

"Will you hold me tonight?"

"What do you mean?"

"Will you stay here and just hold me?" She knew exactly where the question came from, but hoped he wouldn't ask her to explain. It had been a long time since she slept next to someone, held in their arms, without having sex first (or after). In his infinite wisdom, it seemed like Valentino understood what she meant without her explaining. Though his lips returned to hers for a long moment, his hands were almost chaste - one on her hip, the other cupping her chin tenderly, his thumb brushing across her lips when his left them.

"I would love to, Maikki."

She settled into his arms under the comforter, nestling her back against his chest, her legs against his. Vale brushed his nose against the nape of her neck, settling into the even breathing of sleep.

"Vale?"

"Si stellina," His voice was heavy with sleep.

"I love you,"

"I love you too, Maikki." He kissed the back of her neck, smiling against her skin. "Go to sleep."


	23. Chapter 23

"Hey, Maik, have you seen -" The door to her room popped open - so much for locks - and Dani's head popped in. Maik’s eyes cracked open just in time to see his impish grin as he realized where Vale was, a grin that widened as he made the decision to announce it. "Oh. Wait! Nevermind! He's in here!"

Swearing, the pair rolled apart, and abruptly together as Maikki reached over Valentino’s torso for her phone to check the time. Fuck, it was so late - just before 0900. She had planned to be up hours ago, to run and prepare breakfast. Though, judging by the smell, no one had started on the latter.

"Close the fucking door!" Valentino shouted, his hands on her hips as he appreciated her body where it stretched over his. Maikki didn’t need to see him to hear the hint of a smile to his voice, despite the strange circumstances of their morning so far. Dani had obviously had to walk back down the hall toward her room - Maikki could hear his footsteps - and slammed the door, but not before letting out a loud wolf's whistle. It was in that moment she realized exactly how much of her body stuck out from under the comforter, stretched across Valentino's bare chest.

"Mmm, cara mia, giving the kitchen an eyeful,"

"Did I?" Maik asked, settling onto her haunches next to her champion. Valentino sat up, leaning on one hand while the other traced her side. 

"I'm not a jealous man,"

"Don't lie to me, sininen." She laughed, shuffling closer to his body. They pressed their skin together, and Maikki wrapped her arms around his shoulders, letting them gently drape over his back before she dragged his face to hers by a handful of curls. She stopped just as her lips touched his, smiling brightly. "You're always jealous."

"I love you," He murmured, his dark Italian accent brushing across her cheek with his morning breath. 

“I love you too.” Maikki pressed her lips hard into his, holding them together by a handful of his disheveled curls. “Go brush your teeth, your breath reeks,” 

“And you smell perfect, like a fresh daisy,” Vale mused sarcastically, pushing her shoulders gently. They shared one more kiss as he pulled on his gym shorts and left her to collect herself. 

Maikki wandered out into the kitchen in yoga shorts and a hanging tank top, braiding her hair over her shoulder. The girls weren’t there, but the guys - including Iannone and someone she didn’t recognize - were scattered around Vale’s large kitchen with mugs of coffee. She pointed at Dani and the coffee pot as she crossed to Iannone, wrapping him in a hug. 

“Andrea! Good to see you!” His hug was a little stiff at first, which she had expected, but after a minute she felt him relax against her. 

“Been a minute, Maik. I like the haircut,” He turned her head with his fingers on her chin to inspect the scar that stuck out from under the undercut she had decided to keep for the time being. 

“Edgy, right? Who’s this?” Maikki reached past Andrea to offer a hand to the person he had brought. 

“Jeremias, Maikki. Maikki, my friend Jeremias. Semi-functioning assistant.” There were a few of these, starting to arrive from wherever they had stayed the night or on the phone with their rider. There would be a genuine crowd for lunch and dinner that night, Maik noted as she smiled at the man. 

Greetings over, Maikki took her mug from Dani and launched into starting breakfast, occasionally stretching a limb lazily. Usually she would have risen and practiced yoga, maybe gone for a run and showered well before she had to cook breakfast. Thankfully, the pancakes and bacon she had been craving came together quickly. 

Vale’s fingers trailed across her back as he passed her on his way to the coffee, and she had to focus on whisking batter to ignore Iannone’s sharp look. She was going to have to have a talk with him, she mused as she turned to the griddle. 

“Where are the girls?” She asked over her shoulder, laying a set of pancakes on the searing hot metal next to a mound of potatoes she was slowly shaping into hash browns. 

“Good question. They were... preening when I left.” Pecco called. “Should I check?”

“Give them a call or something, breakfast is going to be ready soon.” Maik paused as Vale’s fingers touched her side, and smiled up at the man. She had resolved to do better, weather he believed that being close to him was effort-related or not. To the Finn, it was. He planted a peck on her cheek as he plucked out a piece of the hash browns. 

By the time Maikki served breakfast, the girls still hadn't turned up. Something about their absence bugged her, but she wasn't sure what. Perched in her usual place on the countertop, she watched the pancakes disappear as she picked at her own. 

"Something on your mind, cara mia?" Valentino asked, leaning over her to grab a piece of bacon. 

"Just wondering where the girls are. Seems strange,"

"Easy, they're avoiding you." Scott contributed with a shrug as he pulled another pancake onto his plate.

"Did I miss some drama last night?" Iannone's question was met with a collective groan from the men, and a wince from Maikki. "Do share,"

"Elena called Maikki a slut, Maikki called Elena a loser, they both yelled at Petrucci for saying 'catfight,' there was a roundtable about how upset we are that Maik won't sleep with all of us, and Elena disappeared to lick her wounds." Ever the showman, Scott stepped in to provide his explanation with grand gestures of his fork. 

"Alright, more like Vale announced that they’re an item and Elena got jealous and stormed off.” Dani spoke through a mouth full of pancake, getting a glare from Maikki for his troubles. 

After clearing breakfast away from the kitchen, the whole group made their way down to the track for the days practice - a little more slowly than they had the day before. After more than a few laps, Maikki left her leathers unzipped in the midmorning heat, settling in on the fence to watch Valentino drill the younger ones and the girls until he put her to work, asking her to watch half the field. His count included Elena and Ana. 

“I don’t think they’ll like that,“

“Fucking tough, right? They’ll get over it.” He quipped with a grin, tapping her ass to urge her to cross the track while the field was battling on the other side of it. 

“They’d better,” Maikki murmured to herself, watching as Valentino stopped and separated the groups. Iannone jogged across the path to stand with her, chewing his lip as he surveyed the crowd. 

“They’re looking like competition already,” He mused, leaning on a short length of tire fence on the inside of the field. “They get better and better every year,”

“A lot of that is our fault, isn’t it? And our predecessors.”

“How’s that?” Iannone’s glance over the top of his sunglasses would have set her smoldering once upon a time. Now, she just smiled and patted his shoulder. 

“The old dudes are breeding and we’re teaching their kids,” She laughed, turning to track the group. There were a fair few GP-level riders in the mix, who she only paid cursory attention to. Iannone tracked with her, chewing his lip. 

“Celestino isn’t sliding well,”

“He’s not shifting at the right time.” Maikki murmured, eyes narrowed against the sun. “Neither is Elena.”

“I’d love to see you tell her that,” He mused as the field blasted by them. The pair were quiet for a while, listening to the shifting of bikes and of Valentino murmuring with Petrucci.

“So you and Valentino?” Iannone asked after a moment, looking at her now rather than the field. Maik glanced at him, an eyebrow raised. “Is this like a Marquez-type thing? Or like a Hayden-type thing?”

“Your insight into my dating life is kinda scary, Andrea.” He had been there through it all though, and Maikki had never kept secrets about her sex life from the other riders. “Neither. It’s like a Valentino-type thing.”

“Well, I missed my shot didn’t I?”

“A bit. And I crashed.”

“Shoulda been there to catch ya, huh?” Maik glanced down at Andrea as he grinned up at her, arms crossed over his bare chest. He was still devilishly handsome, she was still drawn to him, but he wasn’t her Valentino. 

“Maybe. But this one’s been brewing for a long time, Ands.” The man in question was waving for the riders to come in - they had all seen enough, and it was time to make some corrections and some changes. 

“I can see that,” Iannone noted as he followed her to her group.

Elena hadn’t stopped with it, she had stopped at the other group with Valentino. That meant trouble, but Maikki started working on tips and corrections anyway, with Andrea for backup. 

“No, I don’t have notes for you,” There was a tense edge to Vale’s voice, one she hadn’t heard in a while, and she wasn’t the only one who glanced over as she talked Celestino through the shifting of the second corner. Valentino pointed at her, where she had a hand on Celestino’s handlebars, straddling his front tire. “Maikki was watching your group, go talk to her,”

“I don’t want her input. I want yours.”

“Aw, that would be cute if you hadn’t just called her a slut last night.” His hands were on his hips, feet squared. He didn’t yell - Vale rarely yelled in anger - but she could see how flat his dust-covered face was even with his sunglasses hiding half of it.

“I mean what I said - she’s no one I want to take fucking advice from.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Danilo looked up from where he leaned on Anastassia’s handlebars. He had been hitting it off with the Estonian, so Maikki wasn’t surprised to see him giving her a little one-on-one attention. “But, Elena, how many championships do you have?”

She didn’t say anything as Danilo raised his eyebrow. Maikki hadn’t expected him to come to her aid, too, and she had to work to keep her composure as she stared between the two men and the girl. 

The reaction was spectacular. Elena threw her borrowed 250 down with a frustrated screech, ripping her gloves off. She threw a glove each at Vale and Danilo before she started to rip her helmet off, storming toward Maikki. 

“Oh, no you don’t,” Scott seemed to see where Elena was headed before she got there and caught her around the waist, relieving her of the helmet. “You know, babs, it’s not nice to throw things.”

Elena started to flail, and whacked her head into Scott’s nose. To his credit, the man didn’t let go even as his nose started to bleed, but Scott was generally known to be decently tough - stupid and strong, in his own words. Dovizioso started to close in, aiming to help, but she kicked her feet and got him in the shoulder. Pol and Luca closed in to pin her, and between the three men they were able to start calming Elena down as Valentino called Uccio. 

“Do we have security on site today?”


	24. Chapter 24

It was intensely satisfying to watch security guards escort Elena and her effects off the track and off the property, Maikki couldn’t help but admit to herself. She watched, fists on her hips as the whole group started to reorder themselves, getting their bikes together. 

“You know,” Valentino was next to her, reaching for her hand. “I think I want to run some motocross for the rest of the day,”

“After lunch?” Maik asked, looking up at his bright blue eyes. The tension of the morning started to melt away as the group made their way up to the garage - Iannone and Petrucci with the spare bike in neutral between them. 

“Fuck what a morning,” Redding was packing his nose with gauze in the garage’s locker room as the rest of the group changed out of their leathers and into some semblance of street clothes. 

“Yeah, let me see your fa - fuck, Kiara is going to be pissed,” Maikki murmured as she reached to settle her fingers on either side of the bridge of Scott’s nose, checking the break delicately. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, probably about to ask what the fuck Maikki was on about. Without warning, she yanked his pert little nose back straight with a quick, downward motion. Redding yelped and pulled back, his hands over his face. 

“What the fuck, man!” Shaking her head, Maik turned away to hang up her leathers before they headed out of the garage. The guys were in various shades of disarray, in mismatched workout clothes and largely shirtless. 

“She did that to me, once.” Iannone called, citing an incident years ago on Valentino’s motocross track where a stray handlebar had beaned him during a crash. 

“Oh, great.” Scott surveyed Andrea’s nose as they all made their way to the house. Iannone had told the truth, but the big bump on his nose that Scott was judging hadn’t been cause by Maikki’s intervention. 

“I’m not sure I even want to ride,” Maikki murmured to Valentino, her arm around his narrow waist as they trailed behind the rest of the group. 

“Not even motocross? With these fucks? It’ll be fun, cara mia,” Vale squeezed her into his side tightly, almost stopping the pair in their tracks. As it was, they slowed, the younger rider looking up at the older. “Come on, I love to watch you whip.”

Maikki could have made a quip about how she wasn’t sure they needed to spice things up in the bedroom yet as they stopped, but instead she took a double handful of his curls and pulled his lips to hers, holding them together for a long kiss. The PDA thing was really only difficult in her head, she mused with a weak smile as she released his captive hair, her hands on his shoulders. 

“You are crazy, and I love you,” Vale murmured with a wink, stroking her cheekbone with a roughly calloused thumb. She closed her hand over his, leading him to the house.

In the kitchen, she directed the guys to set up their own assembly line of sandwiches - one at a time, they bumbled their way through the line, some complaining about the lack of condiments, some about the types of lunch meat Maikki had provided.

"That is home made turkey, you dickhead," Maik shook her finger under Petrucci’s nose as she repremanded the grinning Ducati rider, rolling her eyes. She was perched on the counter near the end of the line, a hearty salad with that same turkey breast balanced on her knee. 

“Why is it that you have salad and we have to eat carbs?” Iannone groaned, obviously not noting that Avalon had followed Maikki’s lead after retrieving a bowl. The Finnish rider grinned roguishly at him through a mouthful of leaves, ignoring his comment. 

“So who’s in for motocross? Do we have to change tires and stuff?”

“What, Scott, can you not change a tire?” Ana joked, prodding his elbow. The girls were starting to loosen up now that their former ringleader was gone, and Maikki was starting to appreciate their senses of humor. 

“Can’t eat carbs, can’t change a tire on a bike... how you boys disappoint me next?” Anastassia was older than Maikki - not by a lot, but old enough to be the eldest female rider there. 

“So what I’m hearing is that the ladies are going to go change tires and we’re going to relax by the pool. Tell me when you’re done, ok?” Valentino mused, tearing the crust off his sandwich. Maikki snagged a bit that had a particularly good smear of mustard on it. 

“Well never let you live it down,” She mused to the group, an eyebrow raised. 

“Fine, fine. We’ll all go change tires.” Luca waved a hand at her as he went in for seconds, pushing his older brother out of the way with his hip. 

The group made their way back to the track by way of the locker room, changing into motocross gear. Based on fashion alone Maikki occasionally fantasized of being a Motocross girl like Kiara - her mx gear was much more comfortable than her leathers, even with a chest protector on under her shirt. Speaking of Kiara, Maik turned to Scott, who was sporting a piece of white tape over his nose to help keep the airway open. 

“When’s Fontanesi get here?” She asked for the second time that weekend as she clipped up her boots. Redding’s wife was one of the few women that revolved around her sport that she could say she truly enjoyed outside of her own team - Kiara and Aleix Espargaro’s wife, Laura. There were a few others that she didn’t mind, but none that she would walk up to unprompted “Shouldn’t they be about done for the weekend?”

“Yes, and then she gets right into her teleporter and pops on over here, babs.” Scott laughed, wincing as he snorted. “She’ll be here in time for the drinking tonight.”

“Damn, missed opportunity for her to whoop us on the track,” Dovi quipped as he left the locker room, helmet under his arm. 

“Truly. We’ll have to whoop each other, then.” Petrucci piped, barely dodging a well-aimed snap of Valentino’s jersey. 

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Her boyfriend - was he her boyfriend? - grinned as he pulled the aforementioned shirt over his head, tucking it into his pants. 

Down by the track, Avalon was trying to wrangle a group selfie, directing the guys into frame of the phone she had perched on the seat of her bike. Of course, Vale’s instinct was to get right in the middle of the picture, and he pulled Maikki with him, putting her down in front. At least she wasn’t the shortest in the row, Maik mused as she smiled, twisting an arm that was trying to give her bunny ears behind her back. 

The result was hilarious - Pecco, his face screwed up in obvious pain behind her, Vale doing his usual ‘I’m a goober in a photo’ pose, grinning with a hand on his hip, Iannone getting a piggyback ride from Scott, Petrucci strangling Dovi, the girls all trying to look pretty, the rest of the boys trying to look serious. Maikki loved that type of photo, and she posted one iteration of it to her Instagram. 

As the spectators - including a few assistants, a smattering of girlfriends, and Dani, Uccio, and Graziano - settled into a makeshift grandstand on the hillside, passing around wine, Maikki and Valentino assembled the group into some semblance of order. Valentino separated them into two heats, assigning Uccio to the chalkboard where he had written up his makeshift bracket. With an uneven seventeen riders, he separated them into a group of eight and nine, which would become a group of four and four, and then a final four for the podium. 

Predictably, the final four came down to Maikki, Dovi, Scott, and Avalon. Maikki hadn’t been so surprised by Scott, he was married to a Mx racer after all, but to Avalon she gave an approving nod as she settled into her place on the starting line. Valentino had been edged out by the Kiwi, and was perched on the fence, talking excitedly to his younger brother as the remaining riders settled into place. 

She didn’t have much time to reflect on who was around her as Dani counted down and set them off. What she needed was the holeshot, and holeshot she got as she screamed around the first corner with her booted foot extended. Someone’s plastic scraped against hers as she leaned back into the opening whoops, setting her pace to two at a time.

Dovi.

He took the small jumps three at a time and almost overshot the corner, letting Maikki and Scott streak past him. Maikki’s whip was low and efficient, Avalon went soaring over her but airtime was slower than time on the ground and the throttle even though it looked cool. In the back of her mind Maikki hoped someone got a shot of Avalon’s spectacular pass attempt as she settled into her seat and through the start for their second lap. Vale’s track wasn’t too long but it was highly technical and rather difficult. As she spared a thought about photos, Scott streaked past her in the hard opening corner, sneaking under her line and forcing her off it. 

Swearing, Maik focused on his back tire, ignoring Dovi and Avalon as they fought behind her. This was a race for her and Scott, now. 

It wouldn't do to get angry, though, the speed from her anger always resulted in a crash. Maikki took a deep breath in her helmet as she pinned the throttle in the straight, sneaking her front tire in line with Redding's back. She aimed to push him out of his line, but he found more space in his gear and pinned it, fishtailing around the corner. It was impressive, but she could take him. 

Maikki loosened her jaw and gave her quaking left wrist a firm shake as she sped down the straight toward the next turn, her grip retuning immediately to the clutch as she downshifted into the corner. 

Not this corner. The next, after the table top. She pulled abreast of Scott, looking for any advantage as she sailed toward the jump. 

As was her style, Maikki kept her whip low and efficient, knowing exactly the right height to clear the jump and land smoothly on the slope because she had practiced it a million times. She was just about to touch down when she felt a lurch that jerked her hands off the handlebars and sent her tumbling down the slope ahead of her bike. 

Well, fuck. 

The world was a bit of a blur as she rolled, watching the dirt and the sky alternate as she flared her limbs to arrest her slide. It was an instinctive thing now, her elbows and knees bent in a protective position. When she came to a stop at the bottom of the slope she just barely started to get out of the way of her bike. 

Unfortunately, Maikki didn’t make it, and her vision went black as her 250 creamed her back to the dirt. 

When she came to, she was propped against someone’s chest, their arms on either side of her helmet to stabilize her neck as another pair of gloved hands checked her limbs. Maikki raised a weak hand to wave them off. 

“I’m ok, I’m ok,” They didn’t let her go. 

“Like hell,” Dovi was behind her, and he didn’t let her move an inch as Redding looked for breaks in each leg. “Hold still, Maik.”

“I’m seriously... decent.”

“That was a hell of a fucking hit, babs.” Redding tapped Dovi’s arm and helped both of them to their feet as Valentino and Dani loped up to the trio. The spectators probably wouldn’t have known anything had happened until the three bikes didn’t come around the corner. Where was Avalon, Maik wondered absently, pulling off her gloves slowly as she stepped away from Dovi. 

“What the fuck happened to you guys?” Vale apparently noted the dirt on Maikki’s clothes and reached to undo her helmet. “Did you wipe out?”

“A little,”

“A little? Babby just got wrecked by her own bike.” Scott’s voice was muffled as Vale pulled off her helmet, taking her chin in his free hand to stabilize her head as he looked into her eyes, checking pupil dilation. He turned her head from side to side gently, checking her focus until she grabbed his wrist, an eyebrow raised. 

“I’m fine. Gonna be sore. But I’m fine.”

“You sure your head doesn’t hurt?”

“Didn’t even hit the ground,” Dovi provided, as he stopped to pick up his bike from where he had discarded it. Dani had hers, she noted as Scott turned away from the pair. “Dunno what happened to Avalon, though.”

“I’m guessing she won,” Scott called as he turned his bike over and took off, probably aiming to take second. 

Dani and Dovi took off - Dani across the grass and Dovi on the track - as Valentino looked between her eyes, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. 

“Are you sure you’re ok, cara mia? How does your head feel?” He asked, still trying to see if she had a concussion by staring deeply into her eyes. Shaking her head, Maikki pressed her smile past his thumb to touch her lips to his. 

“You’re cute, Valentino. If you want me to take my baseline test, I will. But I promise, I’m fine.” She gripped his hands, pulling them from her face. “Come on.”


	25. Chapter 25

Before she was allowed to start cooking dinner Valentino made Maikki sit down at the dining room table, away from the hubbub of the kitchen, to take her baseline test on her tablet. The test itself had changed since her head injury last season, but as she parsed through the questions it quickly became clear she didn't have a concussion and that the natives were getting restless without dinner.

“I’m fine, really. Not even a headache.” She didn’t quite understand why Valentino was feeling so protective, but she waved a hand at him as he reviewed the results of the online test. 

“Just keeping an eye on you,” Vale murmured as he read, reaching to tweak her nose. “Yamaha would kill me if I damaged the merchandise.”

“You mean Lin,”

“Yeah, well, he can be scary,” Valentino joked, setting the tablet aside and reaching a hand out to take hers in his. “You sure you’re ok?”

“Sore wrist. Sore everything, soon. But my head is fine.” She confirmed with a nod, pulling him to his feet. Vale wrapped his arms around Maikki’s shoulders, planting a kiss on the tip of her nose as he held her close. She indulged in his touch for a few long moments before she started to pull away from his sweet smooches. “Let me make dinner before the natives rebel,”

“Uh, here’s the thing,” He pressed his lips to her forehead, holding her tightly as if to keep her from getting angry and lashing out. “They ordered takeout.”

“They did what!” Shouts from the kitchen about going to fetch whatever it was they had ordered reached her ears and the Finnish rider grimaced. Valentino was laughing, the reverberations shaking her where she was held tight against his heat. “God, way to fuck up my meal plan.”

“Oh, it’s not so big of a deal. They got pizza though,”

“Oh no little baby, how ever will you deal?” She murmured with a laugh, pressing her lips against his chin and nibbling his stubble until he indulged her in a long, slow kiss. He held her tightly, letting one of his hands slip into her hair to hold her close. 

“You’re going to cause me a problem, cara mia,” He murmured after a long moment, stroking her cheek. 

“We wouldn’t want that, would we?” She teased, hooking a finger in the waistband of his pants. They were just out of sight of the group in the kitchen - which was thinning out to fetch pizza from Valentino’s restaurant, she assumed. 

“What are you up to?” He asked as she walked him back toward the wall, tucking them both into the hallway. Vale seemed curious, but he didn’t stop her as she kissed him thoroughly, just rested his hands on her hips as she started to slowly unbutton his pants.

Valentino bit back a moan as she gripped a handful of him, finding him close to being hard as she teased, her lips still against his. The house wasn’t quite empty, but it sounded like the group that didn’t go to get food had wandered onto the back porch. Maikki pushed Vale back into the wall as she knelt in front of him, glancing up at the man as she chewed on her lip seductively. 

“Mia stellina,” He murmured, looking down at her with an eyebrow quirked and half a smile on his lips. He was fully hard in her hands, and she pressed her lips against his head, teasing him with her tongue as she supported him with her hand. Vale’s head tipped back against the wall as she started to work, pushing him into the back of her throat. It wouldn’t take long if he didn’t want it to, and it was evident that he knew time was of the essence as he touched his hands lightly to her shoulders, obviously trying not to force her head into a rhythm. 

Maik heard his breathing speed up - but could also hear footsteps coming their way. It was too late to stop now, he was squeezing her shoulder hard. 

“Son, where are the -“ 

“Not now!” Vale’s voice was strangled as he reprimanded his father, his hand still on her shoulder as he tried - and failed - to hold back his finish. Maikki had to take as much of him in her mouth as possible and swallowed hard. She braced her hands aganst his hips, trying not to gag as he swore quietly. 

As she pulled away with a quiet cough, trying to work down the gob in the back of her throat, Valentino started to laugh. Glaring up at him, she accepted his hand up to her feet, managing to swallow well enough to chid him. 

“What the fuck are you laughing for?”

“My father just walked in on me getting a blow job,” Vale managed between laughs as he tucked himself back into his pants. He wasn’t done teasing her. “You make me feel young again,”

“Too young, that’s like, high school young,” She couldn’t help but laugh with him as he pulled her into his arms, planting a long kiss on her despite his bitter aftertaste. 

“You’re perfect, mia stellina,” He murmured, holding her close. “How about we go and have a drink and see if the guys got us the gnochetto and that salad you like,”

“Oh, the spelt one? With the vinegarette?” The first time she had eaten it she had barged into the kitchen to demand to watch them prepare it from start to finish. The true glory of Vale’s restaurant was his focus on fresh ingredients and his chef, Michele. If she wasn’t so enamored with Valentino, and Michele hadn’t already been married, she would have married the chef in a heartbeat. 

Vale’s smile was fond as he stroked her cheek with his thumb, holding her with his other arm around her waist. 

“I love you,” He murmured, staring deep into her eyes. Fuck, was he ever gorgeous with his sleepy-looking eyes, his easy smile. Maikki could feel her own smile spreading, and she couldn’t help it even though she felt it made her look like a dweeb. She tended to show a lot of teeth when she smiled, and it was something she was self-conscious about, but around Valentino she couldn’t help it. 

Maik buried her face into the open collar of his flannel, nuzzling her nose into the deep hollow of his throat. He kissed the top of her head, pressing his lips and nose into her hair as he squeezed her tight. 

“I love you, Valentino.”


	26. Chapter 26

Ah, fuck. Maikki stood, staring over the paddock as she fiddled with the arm of the overalls that hung from her waist. Normally, she wasn't so apprehensive during a season, but here she was, zipping and unzipping the sleeve she held in listless fingers. All of the preparation she had gone through, all the practices, all the testing and constant training since the crash. Years of prior experience. And here she was, chewing on her lip, leaning against the garage door as she watched her team prep her bike.

During the tests the day before she had managed to snag fourth, which was a decent starting position for her in general, especially in Qatar, and doubly especially for her first race back. She had to get past Vale, Lorenzo, and Marquez. The last one smarted, after the events at the awards in November. Jorge she had managed to forgive for the accident that had nearly ruined her life, but there was no going back for Marc.

"Ah, fuck." She turned away from the track, pacing back toward the back of the garage her team occupied. And back. And forth. She had almost worn a hole in the floor with her worry. But why was she worried? A crash like hers only happened once in a lifetime. 

Because usually people who crashed like she had died.

Maikki sighed and made her way to the back of the garage to take a yoga video for her Instagram, because she owed them one for the day. She propped her phone against her spare bike’s disassembled rear end and rolled out her wrists before she started to tuck herself into a headstand, then a forearm stand, and into an aggressive hollow back - aggressive because of her leathers, which restricted her motion just a little. 

A set of blue and yellow leathers appeared in the corner of her eye, and Valentino walked his booted feet up the wall beside her, grinning and making the Finn lose all concentration. It was easy for him to pop in today, his garage being placed right next to hers with an adjoining door, so she should have counted on it. 

“Vale! What are you doing?” Maik managed to giggle as he reached a hand to tweak her nose. She straightened into a forearm stand and lowered her legs quickly, before her lack of concentration toppled her over. She could hardly hear his answer over the cacophony of the paddock - her bike warming up, her pre-race metal blaring over the speakers, her team shouting at one another. 

“Aahto told me you were pacing. You’re going to do great, cara mia.” She smiled weakly at his encouraging words, sitting beside him against the wall. Vale slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side so she could nestle her head into his broad shoulder. After a few deep breaths, Maik shifted to stand, offering her older boyfriend a hand up off the ground. 

“I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I shouldn’t be.” She admitted, as she looked over the paddock, and reached to pocket her phone. “Hey, get back to your prep. You’ve got a ritual to perform.”

“I’m adding a new part of my ritual. Where I get to kiss my girlfriend before I start,” He grinned impishly, but pulled her into his arms tenderly, a hand on the side of her cheek. “See you on the podium, stellina.”

Maikki's hands rested on his narrow hips as she rose on her bare tiptoes for a kiss - short and sweet among the hubbub of the paddock. As Valentino started to pull away, Maik gripped his elbow, stopping the lanky Italian short.

"Vale?"

"Si, stellina?"

"I love you." Vale paused, his smile crinkling the sides of his blue eyes in that way that she adored as he yanked on his earring. 

"I love you too, Maikki. But I'm going to kick your ass."

"You're on."

Maik paced for another moment, watching the adorable video she had inadvertently captured before she sent it to Valentino to ask if she could post it on her Instagram. She had cropped it to include only seconds of the pair sitting together to chat, but had sped the rest of her flow up to the frenetic pace of a time lapse. The frantic beat of practice in her leathers suited her mood. He sent back a thumbs up emoji, and she posted the slightly-off-center video with the caption "perspective."

All too soon, Maikki was stretching next to her bike, forehead pressed to her knees next to a concerned-looking umbrella girl. She settled on her bike with her gloves, pulling them onto her hands slowly as Aahto arrived with her helmet. 

"You ready?"

"I think so." She nodded as Aahto pushed the helmet onto her head, working at the chin strap. He smacked her on the head, letting her test the chin strap before he backed away, leaving her with one foot on the ground, engine revving.

She took it easy on the sighting lap, avoiding the other riders until she pulled back into the start, knowing the commentators were probably noting her easy route. She settled back into the start in her position behind Marquez, breathing deeply to clear her mind. Her strong yoga practice was an advantage she had over many - but not all - of the other riders. Through more than a decade on motorcycles Maikki had always employed deep, even breaths to help clear and calm her mind, and she used the technique now to focus on the task at hand rather than her anxiety about crashing or about public perception.

Racing really was simple, once one had trained their muscles and their mind to control the bike properly. Yes, there was the consideration of the other riders, but it really only boiled down to a few movements through the corners.

Don't get passed. Brake at the last minute. Accelerate smoothly out. Shift for the next corner. Prepare. Accelerate. Go as fast as possible. Don't get passed.

Predictably, Maikki did not get the holeshot, but managed to settle inches from Valentino's back tire into the third corner. She couldn't help but briefly wonder what would come of this first race between the lovers, and how it might effect them, but pushed the thought from her mind. She couldn't afford to let him distract her, and could be sure as hell that Vale wasn't thinking about her in this moment. At least, not until she passed him on the fourth lap.

Maikki fought her way past Lorenzo, mindful of the fact that Vale was still on her tail and trying to pass. She had to block, but tactfully, because if she left even a little space in a corner, the skinny Italian would squeak through.

Which he did, on the fifteenth lap, his masterful sweep leaving Maikki staring at Marquez's back tire.

Passing Marc Marquez was a tricky thing. An asshole to her off the track, he was a tactful strategist on the tarmac. Maikki almost had to force him to make a mistake, pressing him hard, relentless in her pursuit of a passing line. Finally, on lap eighteen, it came - she was able to zoom ever so slightly wide around one corner and catch the inside edge of the next, tucking her bike neatly in front of Marc's.

Two laps to go, and she finally had the leader back in sight. She wasn't about to let him get away from her just because she loved him.

Breathe. 

Handlebar-to-handlebar on the second-to-last straight, Maik glanced to her right at Vale just before the left-hander coming up. It wasn't like she could tell what he was thinking through his helmet, but he was looking at her too, and she knew he wasn't about to give up. His hand turned on the throttle - faster, flat out.

Maikki tucked into the corner first, and managed to brake just later than the Italian in the subsequent right-hander to come out into the straight in front, sailing toward the finish with Valentino hot on her heels - Marquez and Lorenzo side-by-side on his, fighting for third viciously. She leaned herself flat against her tank, thinking aerodynamic thoughts as she urged her bike to be faster than Valentino's, urged herself to be lighter and less of a burden on the machine. She breezed through the finish.

Holy shit.

Holy shit. She had won. Her first race back. She had won. 

The Finn lifted her front tire, rising onto her footpegs as she dropped the bike down, pumping her fists in the air. Vale pulled astride her, reaching to tap fists and point. She grabbed the Finnish flag from Aahto as she breezed past, holding it behind her like a streamer for her victory lap - still in a state of disbelief as she paraded around, steering with her knees more often than not.

After her victory lap, Maik pulled into the pit and launched off the bike and into the arms of her team with her flag draped around her shoulders, and her crew lifted her above their heads until Astrid had to intervene, pulling her down from the group. Aahto yanked her helmet off to rest on the tank of her bike, getting his own hug from the sweaty rider. She had won races before, but this was different. 

She was back.

Lorenzo clapped her on the shoulder - apparently, he had beat out Marquez, which made Maikki smile - and congratulated her warmly.

"I'm coming for you, though,"

"I count on it, Jorge!" She slapped his hand away playfully, grinning at the former Yamaha rider before someone practically tackled her from behind. 

"Brava, cara mia!" Vale's voice just loud enough for her to hear as he he leaned to speak into her ear. Maikki wrapped her hands around his forearms with what she knew was a broad grin. "I thought I had you on the straight,"

"You'll never make that bike go faster than I can," She murmured, shrugging under his arms, mindful of the cameras as Astrid started to shepherd the pair toward the podium where the fans waited. As they walked, Astrid passed Maikki a branded hat to put over her sweaty french-braided hair as Vale pulled a similar cap over his bouncing curls. 

Maikki greeted her fans before she climbed onto the podium behind the two men, hopping nimbly onto the top step to pose with the ridiculous trophy two sullen-looking track girls presented her with. She was used to their disappointment - presenting a trophy to a woman who wouldn't pinch their asses or try to take them home later - and these days it was well-known but unconfirmed that she and Vale were together, and Lorenzo was recently engaged. 

With the trophy aloft, Maikki was defenseless against Jorge and Vale's champagne assault, which left her diving for her own bottle, abandoning the trophy.


	27. Chapter 27

"This is a fucking ridiculous amount of gear," Maikki complained as she pulled her second bag off the conveyor. 

Instead of staying home after Argentina, Maikki, Valentino, and a host of tribu regulars had decided to spend their layover weeks at Colin Edwards' ranch in Texas. Really, Vale had been meaning to get to Texas to see his former teammate for quite some time, and going back and forth would mean four times the jet lag. So Maikki found herself piling three separate MK66 branded gear bags on a cart, with one suitcase and her backpack. She had been forced to do this in Argentina, too, and getting gear into the U.S. was proving to be a bit of a nightmare.

Swearing, she set her second bag next to the first and rushed after the third before it could slip back for another round on the conveyor belt. All of Valentino's bags had come out together, but hers were intermixed with the rest of the passenger's effects. 

At least she wasn't the only one having a hard time, and comparatively, it wasn’t even that bad. It seemed like the airline had managed to lose at least two of Mattia's bags, and Iannone was delayed in Mexico City, of all places, and wouldn't be able to join them until the next day. His bags, though, were all in Houston, which was part of the problem. Maikki almost regretted that she and Vale had promised to collect them from the airport as she stacked an inordinately heavy AI29 bag onto the cart with the mix of hers and Vale’s. What did he travel with, his indigenous rock collection?

"This is a logistical nightmare," Maikki groaned at her boyfriend, heaving her third gear bag on top of the first two. 

“Flying with this much shit is always a nightmare,” He answered, flashing her a smile as he lifted her suitcase to add to the stack. He was unflappably calm, almost infuriatingly so at that particular moment. In the distance she could hear Mattia angrily shouting about his bags. “It’ll be fun, Maik,”

“I know, I know. I’m excited to meet Colin.” Maikki slung her backpack over her shoulders and pulled the hood of her sweater over the hat that was keeping her unruly waves hidden from the world. 

“I’m excited to shoot things! America!” Pecco said in Italian as he flashed devil horns with his free hand. Maikki rolled her eyes at the younger rider and glanced around, taking stock of the riders and their teams. 

Much of their crew had shipped to Austin with the bikes to start setting up, as was the norm. She and Vale were joined by Uccio, Mattia, Pecco, Luca, Scott, and, eventually, Iannone. Maverick was already at the camp with the two SkyTeam Moto3 riders, Celestino and Dennis. There were three motocross riders coming, but Maikki wasn't familiar with them. The weekend before the Circuit of the Americas was for Yamaha and Yamaha satellite riders, from MotoGP and motocross; the following weekend was for Honda and their satellites. At least, that was what Maikki understood. People were paying big bucks to ride with them, too, there were roughly thirty “civilians” that would join the twenty or so professional riders and their entourages.

With their insane excess of gear in hand, the group made their way out to the rental car - well, rental trucks.

"Have you ever driven anything so big, Vale?" Maikki teased the Italian as she hoisted her gear bags into the back of one of the trucks, a bright yellow F250. Of course Valentino would have gotten the yellow one, Maik mused with a grin. 

"Ha, ha. Sometimes, you're lucky you're cute," He kissed her cheek as he set his bag next to hers, leaving her to push it through toward the cab.

"Eh, I don't think I'm that cute, but I've got character," She said with a grin, lifting the keys from Vale's pocket. "Anyway, what are we going to be doing? What's our schedule?" Maikki asked as she climbed into the driver's seat, having to hop a little to get up into the tall vehicle.

"You haven't been to the Camp?" Uccio asked, crawling into the back of the truck as Vale clambered into the passenger's. They were joined by Scott, who answered for Maikki.

"I haven't even met Colin," He admitted in his meaty British accent as Maikki started up the truck. 

"Likewise." 

"Fuck are you kids in for a treat," Uccio set his phone to direct Maikki out of Houston. For once, he didn't complain that she had taken the keys, even though he was usually designated as Vale's driver. They had started to get along a little better, recently, now that Uccio was getting used to the fact that Maikki wasn't going to "steal" Vale from him, but relations were still a little salty. Between them, Vale and Uccio painted a picture of a Wild West week, where they would participate in a high-level version of Colin's four-day boot camps, where they got to focus on fun rather than photo ops. Though with the civilians joining them, there would be plenty of photos. 

The Camp was an hour from the airport, and Maikki was just starting to develop a fondness for the truck when they pulled onto a long dirt road, making their way back through to the Western-themed camp. 

"Look at you, man!" That accent could only belong to Colin Edwards, who enveloped Valentino in a close hug, patting one another's backs heartily. Hands in the pockets of her shorts, Maikki stared around at the facilities, admiring the quaint theme of the place. A trio of hounds barked their way over to the group as they exited their vehicles, and Maikki found herself rubbing the ears of a big black-and-tan creature as she surveyed the Camp.

It had a "hotel," where she assumed they would stay, a quaint saloon, an expansive garage, and a trio of tracks that she could see, one covered by a giant roof. It wasn't as dusty as she had expected, though everything seemed to be coated with a thick layer of red clay dust. The grass was green and clipped short, the treeline lush. A trio of riders were taking laps around the closest tracks, on matching small Yamahas - 125s if she had to guess by the sound. 

"Maikki! Come meet Colin!" Valentino's voice snapped her out of her revelry, and she whipped off her hat as she turned, tousling her locks into some form of presentability. The dog came with her, glued to her hip as she walked around the truck.

"Ah, you've met Regis here, I see."

"Regis? He's sweet," She offered a hand, which Colin took to shake enthusiastically. "Maikki, nice to meet you,"

"You're smaller than I thought," He said in his thick accent, with a winning grin. Maikki shook his head.

"Really? That's the best you've got?" She joked, as he grabbed her into a hug. "Nice to meet you, Colin."

"Likewise. You kids ready to see the place?" He winked at Maikki as Vale grimaced. "I just like to call him kid,"

Colin guided the group to the hotel, showing them where they were all staying. It was bunk beds and shared rooms, and Maikki realized it was going to be a long week without any privacy and without the option to snuggle with her lover. She glanced over her shoulder at him, and he shook his head as if he knew what she was about to ask.

"So I've got the SkyAcademy kids in here, and you and Celestino and Dennis. Over here, Maikki with Mattia, Pecco, Luca, and Scott. Valentino, you, Uccio and, I guess Dani, have the quad. He's coming, right?" Valentino pulled Colin aside as the group started to scatter, heading back to the trucks to gather their gear. Maikki managed to strap on her backpack and drag a pair of her bags almost all the way to the room Colin had assigned her.

"Where are you going, mia stellina?" Maikki stopped as Vale breezed past her, fixing her with a significant look. "What, want a week off?" 

Maik shook her head ruefully, following Vale into the bedroom. 

"It'll be cozy, but probably better than staying with the boys," She murmured, setting her bags down on one of the four twins in the room.

"You're just so cute, cara mia." Maikki paused, raising an eyebrow at Vale as he fiddled with his phone charger. "Uccio is staying in your place with the boys, and Dani can't make it."

"So we get the room to ourselves?" 

"You bet." Valentino planted a kiss on her cheek as they started their way back to the truck for their remaining bags.

"Oh, ew, PDA," Luca teased through the door. Really, Maikki was surprised at Valentino's openness in offering to stay together for the workshop. She had expected to spend the week or so until they left for Austin with the guys in semi-privacy. She was used to that, she wasn't used to having a spot at Valentino's side day and night. Not off the ranch, anyway. 

"So when do we get on the track?" Maikki asked as she started to sort out her suitcase and gear bags. She had separated her gear by color - it was all Alpinestar, sure, but she only had one chest protector on deck and she couldn't remember if she had put it in with the blue or the lighter blue gear. Her life was obviously in shambles.

"Hey, come help me," Maikki had just freed the form-fitted apparatus from the bag with the white gear when Valentino called her over, poised to push two of the beds together.

"Yeah, yeah." She ended up just holding her side in place as he pushed his bed into hers with a bit of a crash, jolting her knees. "I'm surprised, you know."

"About what?"

"What about all the other people coming to camp?"

"Don't rightly care," Vale quipped in some approximation of Colin's southern accent. 

"And Uccio isn't feeling put out?"

"He suggested it," That gave Maikki pause, and she grinned as she ruefully shook her head.

"You boys, you never cease to amaze me."


	28. Chapter 28

The group had some time to acclimate to the machines on hand - TT-R125s, a small bike that Maikki loved to throw around. She had already set a decently quick lap time around the 16-turn full track when they pulled in for the end of the first evening - a 1:27 flat. The sun had almost set as helmets and jerseys were shed.

"Ah, but Maik, it's because you fit on these bikes,"

"That's not fair. Just because you have a few inches on me does not mean you need a bigger bike." Maikki glared at Mattia flatly. The Moto2 champion was angry because he had pulled an above-1:29 before they were called in for dinner. "Fine, I'll take you on minis if that's what you want. Or do you want bigger?"

"We don't have that many 250s, y'all. Give it a rest, Mattia." Colin shook a finger at the pair, but more at the older rider. Mattia sighed, accepting a beer from Colin to pass to Maikki.

"It's not like I could be so fearless. Maik, how the fuck do you do it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you hanging over the side of that bike." Mattia shrugged, opening his own beer. The group were in various arrays of undress - mainly shirtless. Maikki stood in her unzipped motocross pants and a sports bra, showing off her tattoos and the top of her patterned yoga shorts.

"She always does that, least from what I've seen." Luca shrugged to her left as the group settled into chairs. Valentino was to her right, and Maikki found herself leaning toward him as she pulled her feet out of her boots, shedding her socks before she tucked her feet under her thighs.

"I have not always hung over so far," She protested weakly, stretching out her shoulders before she committed to the Coors light.

"But you have always been fearless. Or at least dumb." Vale reached to poke her arm, grinning. "I remember when you were afraid to start to slide more, but you weren't afraid to crash out on an M1 for every corner you needed it for."

"Oh, fuck you, Vale!" Maik stretched a leg out over the arm of her collapsible chair as she hijacked the music coming through Colin's bluetooth speaker. "Crashing was what I knew. I was afraid of the strange."

There was a collective shrug around the fire - because everyone had been in that same boat at some point or another. It wasn't uncommon for riders to be stubborn. The thought made Maik giggle to herself as she took a sip of her drink.

"I mean, when I saw you, I thought that they had brought a girlfriend along until I noticed the scar." Colin admitted with a shrug, glancing to check the progress of the barbecue dinner they would be having with his wife. 

"Really?" She was a little taken aback by the statement - surely, Colin of all people had to know who she was, had to have seen her on the track. But then, a lot of riders looked completely different without leathers and without a hat. Still, she decided to give him a pass. She was staying on his ranch, after all, and he had proven to be a pretty nice guy.

"Yes, which brings me to another question. What's going on here?" From Vale's right, Colin gestured to Maikki's feet in the Italian's lap. Valentino was rubbing the arch of one of them with one hand, drinking his beer with the other. 

"What?" Vale raised an eyebrow, his grin quirked to the side as his hand came to rest on the top of her foot, fingers wrapping around the outside edge. As usual, when he was around friends his English was nearly impeccable. His thick accent was something he hid behind in public, something that came out when he was nervous or distracted. "I'm not playing dumb. What do you want to know?"

"What everyone else seems to know." Valentino looked to Maikki, prompting almost everyone else in the circle to do the same. Luca and Uccio, however, made near-identical shows of throwing their heads back over the backs of their folding chairs. 

"Don't you wish Dani was coming, Uccio?" Luca asked, the roll of his eyes palpable in his voice. He was citing Dani’s way with words - the general counsel had managed to very bluntly explain the pair’s relationship to “outsiders.” It was also someone with whom Luca and auction tended to commiserate with when Vale got handsy. Maik sighed, pointing her foot against her lover's hand.

"I guess you could say we're cheating on our fans, seeing each other behind their backs," She murmured, stretching her legs straight up toward the sky before she let them dangle, one over the arm of the chair and the other touching the clay dirt. "Anything else?"

Colin and the rest of the circle were quiet for a moment as Maikki finished her drink, avoiding eye contact as she got up and asked if anyone wanted an additional round.

The answer was an overwhelming yes from most of the men, and she found herself holding an armful of beers that she distributed mainly by tossing around the circle. As she handed Valentino one, he pulled her gently into his lap by her belt loops, and she settled in without question as she opened the last beer in her hand. 

"Right. Good idea, kids,"

"Don't think we haven't told them what a bad idea it is, Colin," Uccio piped. Maikki made as if to rise out of Vale's lap, but his arm around her waist held her close. 

"Easy, cara mia," His voice was soothing against the nape of her neck, but as he rested his chin on her shoulder she knew he was glaring at Uccio. "Recently, I’ve been impressed by the number of people who seem to know what's best for Maikki.”

Uccio’s mouth worked for a minute, but Vale shook his head to indicate that he wasn’t interested in hearing what his friend had to say at that moment. He had probably heard it all before in private, Uccio wasn't one to keep his feelings to himself. It was time to change the subject, she mused, wondering at where to steer the conversation. Luckily, she didn't have to figure it out. 

“Cute. Let’s talk business, then. Maikki, how’s your Yamaha treating you this season? Thinking of setting it on fire again this year?” Colin’s question was just humorous enough to relax her rather than offend, and she appreciated him steering the topic away from the tense moment between Vale and Uccio. She shrugged, her hand on top of Vale’s where it wrapped around her waist. 

“Hoping to avoid another crash. As long as Lorenzo and Marquez have their shit together I think I can do that.” Maikki sighed, watching as embers from the fire as they disappeared into the sky. "The field overall keeps getting better and better, though. It's not like it was even five years ago. There's, like, ten guys I can think of to fight with for the Championship."

"Aw, Maik, you think we contend?" Scott called with a grin and a raised eyebrow. Maikki pointed back at him, making the most aloof expression she could come up with. 

"You'll never contend with me, Scott." She joked, leaning her head back against Vale's shoulder. "Fuck, I remember in my first season, getting blown away by Vale and Marquez, I think I saw Mav's rear tire twice the whole season."

"Sixth in points isn't bad, especially not for your first season," Luca countered, his arms crossed over his chest. "Especially since half the season you were getting fucking mapping sevens right?"

"That was brutal," Maverick chimed, leaning with his elbows on his knees. "If I never see another mapping seven it would be too soon. I gotta say, Vale, that was the first time I ever really resented having you as a teammate."

"The first? There were other times?" She could hear the good-natured smile in the man's voice as he propped his chin back on her shoulder. Maverick had opened his mouth, probably to give Vale the rough side of his tongue about how he had probably resented his teammate, too, when they were interrupted. 

"I'm sorry, the fuck is a mapping seven?" Dylan Ferrandis - a motocross rider that Maik had to admit was pretty cute with a pang of guilt - asked, twisting his beer can in his hands to crush it into a perfect puck.

"Our bikes use mapping systems for power, braking, fuel consumption... They're thumb buttons on the left hand. So on our pit boards, our teams sometimes make mapping suggestions. I have five maps, personally. They're different things for different teams, but there are ‘unofficial’ ones that are kinda the same across Yamaha are maps seven and eight. Seven means defend your teammate, like if someone is trying to do an aggressive overtake or something, and that's what was happening in 2018. Eight is let your teammate pass. That's the worst." Maik explained with a shrug. "That was a lot."

"No, it makes sense. So, is that why when you guys crash you're always holding on to your handlebars?"

"Kind of?" Vale shrugged. "I don't."

"I do! Fucking stab that engine brake." Scott laughed, catching a fresh beer as Aaron Plessinger, another motocross rider, tossed out a round. Maikki managed to snatch the pair of beers heading her way.

"I'm glad I usually let go," Maikki shrugged, thinking of her bike in Austria last year. If it hadn't crushed her, it would have caught fire somewhere in her unconscious vicinity.

"Lorenzo is a fucking moron," Colin's charming southern accent was marred with a cringe. "Not changing his tires could have killed you both."

"Or more," Valentino's murmur was dark behind Maikki, and she shifted to sit sidesaddle, looking across the fire at Maverick, who was shaking his head. 

"My leg still hurts when it rains." He leaned back in his chair. A fair few of the field still had lasting injuries after that wreck, she mused, wrapping her fingers through Valentino's. Comparatively, her head injury had been rather minor considering that some of the guys had dealt with, at least in her opinion. Much of the field had missed at least the next two races, it had been the most devastating incident in MotoGP history.

"One of the more spectacular crashes MotoGP has ever seen." Colin shrugged. "Coulda been worse. I think that scar on your noggin makes you look like a hardass, Maik."

She had a lot of answers to that - mainly how she thought it made her look like a brain-damaged crash victim - but she just shook her head, sipping her beer in Valentino's lap as he gripped her fingers hard in his. He could see where this conversation was headed, and decided to steer it back to more comfortable territory.

"Colin, remember that time..."

The group shot the shit until it was announced that dinner was ready - something that sent most of the men scrambling from their seats. Maikki was slower to rise, offering Vale a hand up off their shared chair. He wrapped an arm low around her waist, holding her close to look into her eyes in the firelight.

"You ok, cara mia?" Maikki sighed deeply, tucking her head into the hollow of his throat as she heaved a shuddering sigh. She considered lying, but Valentino always saw through that.

"No. I don't like talking about it still." She murmured as he stroked her back. "I got lucky, and I don't like being lucky."

"I know, Maik." He bent to press his lips to her forehead, holding her elbow tightly. "Come on, we'll get some food. I'm sure it's not going to come up again."

"Hopefully not. But it probably will with the civs," 'Civs' was what Colin was referring to the non-rider group as, so Maikki had picked it up. It sounded awkward in the midst of their Italian, but she couldn't think of the Italian word for civilian.


	29. Chapter 29

"I just can not believe I get to ride with Va-len-tin-o fucking Rossi. Oh my god he's so cute," The woman was young - probably a year or two younger than Maikki - with perfectly-coiffed bottle blonde curls, a cloyingly sweet southern accent, and at least marginal talent on a bike. Nobody at this particular camp was a beginner.

And it was the thirteenth time Maikki had heard her say how excited she was to ride with Vale in roughly as many minutes. She had gotten stuck with the girl in her group for initial timing laps, and they sat on their bikes, helmets in their laps as they waited on Valentino's group to go through.

There were five groups of ten, and in hers she had Andrea and Luca. And this girl. And six other slightly starstruck men who were somewhere in the expanse between abject admiration and working up the courage for a conversation with any of the three riders. So Maik leaned between Luca and Andrea, murmuring quietly to one another.

"I think I'm shooting for a sub-1:28. With all of these kids, I'm gonna have to fight it off the line," Luca murmured in Italian. 

"Maikki is going to whoop us both," Andrea shrugged, toying with a glove. "Aren't you, 'cara mia?'" He imitated Vale's voice as he called her by his pet name, grinning.

"I'm about to whoop that chick. It's like the only one of us she knows is Vale."

"Welcome to it, babe. You aren't used to that yet?" Andrea asked, an eyebrow raised. Maikki shrugged.

"I can do a sub-1:28. I'm more worried about that big guy," She didn't have to point at the man on his 230, he towered above the rest, and looked like he meant business. He wasn't in the beginner class, which meant he had some sort of experience. Maik adjusted her chest protector under her shirt uncomfortably as his cold gaze fell on her. "Giving me the creeps, actually."

"Yeah, really. He's been eyeing you. Maybe you should give my brother a little kiss, solve all your problems," Luca joked, his eyes twinkling mischievously not unlike Vale's would when he was ribbing on her. 

"For the instas," Andrea nodded, pulling out his phone. "But really, for the instas,"

He took a short video for his story, culminating in the three GP riders - Luca blowing kisses and Maikki with her tongue out. Colin was photobombing the trio as he walked over to get them to the start. Vale, Scott, and Mattia had pulled off their helmets and were leaning their bikes on kickstands as they congratulated their group. She knew Vale, at least, was paying attention to their lap times. He could fool a lot of people with his lovable goofball act, but he was her lovable goofball.

"You kids all ready?" Colin pointed with a sweeping finger, prompting everyone to start to gear up. Maik yanked her helmet over her french braid, tucking her earrings in carefully. "How do you do that with so much metal in your head?"

"Years of practice. And every time they use the shock doctor on me they rip one out." Maikki couldn't help but wince - it was why she mostly wore earrings that were easy to separate from their backs while she was riding. Or actual rings that didn't get stuck on the fabric of her helmet's padding.

Colin directed each rider to their starting position personally, assigning each to one of the five instructors who held two stopwatches each in hand. Maikki stretched at the start as was her custom, hopping back on her bike when she caught Colin's stern glare. 

She soon lost herself in the sound of screaming engines, as each rider prepared to be released with a few second delay in between. It wasn't a race, not right now. It was timing. Just her and the beautifully-packed clay. Maik was first, due to her previous lap times. Luca and Andrea wouldn't be far behind, but she was curious about the lap times of the 'civs.'

On the 16-turn combination of all three tracks on the property, Maikki ran a very respectable 1:27:17 and joined the rabble amid whoops as her time was added next to her name on the board. The riders were separated between five boards but not based on their groups - but by alphabetical order. It seemed Colin had very carefully chosen those starting groups, though, as he watched the two women write down times as they were shouted out to them.

"Well done, mia stellina,"

"What did you get?" Maik squinted at his name on the far board, frowning. "Oh, fuck you and your point-oh-three seconds," She complained, punching Vale in the stomach playfully. He threw an arm over her shoulder as Luca joined them, lamenting his only-barely sub-1:28. Amid the hubub, Vale leaned to press his lips against her ear, his sultry murmured innuendo sending goosebumps across her skin. She pinched his side for the dirty words, shaking her head as Andrea pulled up with his respectable 1:27:3. 

The blonde that was so excited to meet Vale pulled up, complaining loudly about her 1:40:4. Maikki murmured a warning in Italian to her lover before he moved to accept a hug from her amid squeals.

"Oh my god I am so excited to ride with you, you have no idea," The blonde and Maikki weren't the only women on the grounds, but they were the only pair in the schooling for the weekend. It had left Maik a little disappointed, especially since the woman wasn't even a contender. Her frown deepened just a little as the girl stayed under Valentino's arm, an eyebrow lifted as she schooled her face to smile and returned to where Scott was talking to a group of the riders.

"Maik! You got me by, like, a tenth of a second!"

"My specialty," She grinned, offering her hand to the other riders. "I'm Maikki,"

"Mikey? Like a boy?"

"Maikki, like a Finnish woman," She grinned, shaking the hand of the gangly youth who had semi-insulted her. "I'm going to try to remember names, but there's fifty people here,"

"Don't worry, we'll remind you," The youth said, as the somewhat attractive sandy-haired motocross rider - he had to be - said, "I'll make sure you don't forget,"

Maik felt her frown deepen again as she glanced up at the younger guy. It wasn't worth following up on, but the comment had been very strangely phrased. 

As the groups started to form - advanced, advanced intermediate, intermediate, intermediate light, and "fuck, you're fucking fast" - the riders were instructed to stand with those who had like times as them. Maikki, Vale, Luca, Andrea and Dylan had run sub-1:27:3's, the rest of the professional riders sub-1:28. Uccio was in the advanced intermediate class with the other pair of professional MX racers, which had a 1:28 - 1:30 spread. The intermediate class was 1:30 - 1:35, and the intermediate light was everyone else.

Finally, Valentino managed to extricate himself from the southern blonde's grasp to join the "fuck, you're fucking fast" group - which Colin was calling "fyff," pronounced like "fife," for expediency's sake. 

"Comfy there, kultaseni?" Maik asked in Italian, getting a snort of laughter from his younger brother.

"I'm worried, do you want to come sleep with us tonight, Maik?" Andrea asked suggestively, poking Maikki's shoulder. 

"Hey, some of us don't speak aye-talian, and would like to also make fun of Valentino," Redding wasn’t talking about himself, even though his “aye-talian” was just about as intelligible as his thick English accent. 

"Go for it, Scott," Maikki waved, sparing Vale a glare. He was pulling on his earring as he looked at her, an eyebrow quirked even as he laughed with the guys about their quips of him stealing all the women. 

"Are you really that bothered by her?" He asked quietly as the quips died down, his hand on her waist as he pretended to listen to Colin about the drills they would be doing.

"Decently."

"That's not fair," He murmured, his chin perched on her head. "Let's talk about it,"

"After I get some anger out on the track." She touched her gloved fingers to his, letting him wrap his between hers as they waited patiently, watching Mike Meyers show them the drills they would be working on. It was all very foundational, something they did at the Ranch all the time, but Maikki still appreciated it.

An hour later, she was drenched in sweat as she pulled her helmet off, leaning her bike on its kickstand on the clay as the group answered the lunch bell. 

Maik found herself at a lunch table in the saloon with Mattia, Colin and a trio of young enthusiasts. Introductions were made, and when the kids were done being sufficiently awestruck, they settled in to their brisket.

"So Maikki, how long have you been riding for?" It was the same sandy-haired twenty-something as before, who had made the snide comment. Maikki looked up from her plate, an eyebrow quirked.

"Since I was a kid, I was five when I got a minibike. So, more than twenty years."

"Thirty. That's embarrassing," Mattia laughed, leaning back in his chair as he seemed to consider a fresh plate of food.

"Forty years." Colin managed through a mouthful of creamed corn. She was going to have to go on a run at some point this weekend, she mused as she pushed around her mac and cheese on the plate, considering it as the kids offered up their ten and fifteen years of experience. 

"What do you prefer to ride?" She asked, finally tucking into the mac.

"FMX,"

"Like, free style? Jumps and stuff?" Maik looked up at the one who kept borderline sexually harassing her, an eyebrow lifted as he nodded. His name, she remembered, was Jason. "So you do tricks?"

"Later this year I'm going to Pastrana's ranch to learn to backflip,"

"That kid. He's insane," Colin interjected, gesturing with his fork. "He can't hardly walk any more but he still gets on a bike and throws it in the air."

"Not for me. I've got a decent whip and that's all." Maikki shrugged, reaching for her water. "I'm under contract to not take unnecessary risks,"

"What do you do?" The table was silent as Jason asked his question, Mattia and Colin staring at him in disbelief. Maikki muttered an ‘excuse me,’ prompting him to repeat his question.

"Dude, Maikki's a MotoGP champion," The oldest rider at the table, a man named George, offered as if he were trying to help the kid dig out of his own grave. Come to think of it, the pair looked like they were related - maybe father and son? 

"Oh, fuck, I thought you were just Rossi's girlfriend or some shit," He said, prompting Maikki to curse in Finnish as she mashed a forkful of mac and cheese against the plate. "You are, though, right?"

"Kid, lay off. No need to -"

"No, Colin, it's fine. It would be so great to run a 1:27:17 just by being Valentino's girlfriend. The world would be full of wonderful female riders," She sighed, setting her fork down. Her appetite was gone, as was her patience with the kid. "I'm going to go change."

Valentino watched her with a sharp eye as she tossed her paper plate, complimenting Colin's wife on the quality of her barbecue on her way out of the Saloon.

\---  
Conflicting modification on July 17, 2018 at 15:47:47:  
\---  
"I just can not believe I get to ride with Va-len-tin-o fucking Rossi. Oh my god he's so cute," The woman was young - probably a year or two younger than Maikki - with perfectly-coiffed bottle blonde curls, a cloyingly sweet southern accent, and at least marginal talent on a bike. Nobody at this particular camp was a true beginner, they had all at least had some trail riding experience if not were regular racers on the motocross circuits in their home states. There were a few up-and-coming riders that Maikki noted to keep an eye on, too.

It was roughly the thirteenth time Maikki had heard her say how excited she was to ride with Vale in about as many minutes. She had gotten stuck with the girl in her group for initial timing laps, and they sat on their bikes, helmets in their laps as they waited on Valentino's group to go through.

There were five groups of ten, and in hers she had Andrea and Luca. And this girl. And six other slightly starstruck men who were somewhere in the expanse between abject admiration and working up the courage for a conversation with any of the three riders. So Maik sat between Luca and Andrea, murmuring quietly to one another and all actively trying to ignore the starstruck blonde and her fascination for Valentino. 

"I think I'm shooting for a sub-1:28. With all of these kids, I'm gonna have to fight it off the line," Luca murmured in Italian. He seemed to have picked up on how uncomfortable Maikki was first, and was toying with the strap of his goggles where it wrapped around his helmet, trying to look anywhere but at the girl. 

"Maikki is going to whoop us both," Andrea shrugged, toying with a glove. "Aren't you, 'cara mia?'" His imitation of Vale's voice was pretty spot on as he called her by Vale's favorite pet name, grinning.

"I'm about to whoop that chick. It's like the only one of us she knows is Vale." Nope, she couldn't stop fixating on it. It wasn't just that the girl was obsessed with her boyfriend, Maikki was getting used to that. It was more that she was irked over being ignored completely - the more she thought about it, the more childish the sentiment seemed, but if the guys were feeling the same way, she couldn't be wrong.

"Welcome to it, babe. You aren't used to that yet?" Andrea asked, an eyebrow raised. Maikki shrugged, shaking her head as she sighed and circled back to the task at hand.

"I can do a sub-1:28. I'm more worried about that big guy," She didn't have to point at the man on his 230, he towered above the rest, and looked like he meant business. He wasn't in the beginner class, which meant he had some sort of experience above "I've ridden a bike before." Maik adjusted her chest protector under her shirt uncomfortably as his cold gaze fell on her. "Giving me the creeps, actually."

"Yeah, really. He's been eyeing you. Maybe you should give my brother a little kiss, solve all your problems," Luca joked, his eyes twinkling mischievously not unlike Vale's would when he was ribbing on her. 

"For the instas," Andrea nodded, pulling out his phone. "But really, for the instas,"

He took a short video for his story, culminating in the three GP riders - Luca blowing kisses and Maikki with her tongue out. Colin managed a quality photobomb of the trio as he walked over to usher their group to the start. Vale, Scott, and Mattia had pulled off their helmets and were leaning their bikes on kickstands as they congratulated the riders in their pack. She knew Vale, at least, was paying attention to their lap times. He could fool a lot of people with his lovable goofball act, but he was her lovable goofball, and he was a competitive fucking goofball.

"You kids all ready?" Colin pointed with a sweeping finger, prompting everyone to start to gear up. Maik yanked her helmet over her french braid, tucking her earrings in carefully. "How do you do that with so much metal in your head?"

"Years of practice. And every time they use the shock doctor on me they rip one out." Maikki couldn't help but wince - it was why she mostly wore earrings that were easy to separate from their backs while she was riding. Or actual rings that didn't get stuck on the fabric of her helmet's padding when it was forcefully ejected from her head by the track doctors. In reality it hadn't happened since her big crash, and only once before that, but it was a precaution she was happy to take. 

Colin directed each rider to their starting position personally by pointing to a rider and then to a sport on his imaginary grid, and assigned each to one of the five instructors who held two stopwatches each in hand. Maikki stretched in front of her bike at the start as was her custom, hopping back on her bike when she caught Colin's stern glare. 

She soon lost herself in the sound of screaming engines, as each rider prepared to be released with a few second delay in between. It wasn't a race, not right now. It was just a timing lap. Just her and the beautifully-packed clay. Maik was first, due to her previous lap times. Luca and Andrea wouldn't be far behind, but she was most curious about the lap times of the 'civs.'

On the 16-turn combination of all three tracks on the property, Maikki ran a very respectable 1:27:17 and joined the rabble amid whoops as her time was added next to her name on the board. The riders were separated between five boards but not based on their groups - but by alphabetical order. It seemed Colin had very carefully chosen those starting groups, though, as he watched the two women write down times as they were shouted out to them.

"Well done, mia stellina,"

"What did you get?" Maik squinted at his name on the far board, frowning as she found he had managed to best her by less than three tenths of a second. "Oh, fuck you and your point-oh-three seconds," She complained, punching Vale in the stomach playfully. He threw an arm over her shoulder as Luca joined them, lamenting his only-barely sub-1:28. Amid the hubub, Vale leaned to press his lips against her ear, his sultry murmured innuendo sending goosebumps across her skin. Maik pinched his side between the panels of his chest protector to thank him for the dirty words, shaking her head as Andrea pulled up with his respectable 1:27:3. 

The blonde that was so excited to meet Vale pulled up, lamenting her 1:40:4 before she even whipped off her helmet. Maikki murmured a warning in Italian to her lover before he moved to accept a hug from her amid squeals, a questioning eyebrow raised in Maik's direction.

"Oh my god I am so excited to ride with you, you have no idea," The blonde and Maikki weren't the only women on the grounds, but they were the only pair in the schooling for the weekend. It had left Maik a little disappointed, especially since the woman wasn't even a contender. Her frown deepened just a little as the girl stayed under Valentino's arm, an eyebrow lifted as she schooled her face to smile, moving back over to where Scott was talking to a group of the riders.

"Maik! You got me by, like, a tenth of a second!"

"My specialty," She grinned, offering her hand to the other riders. "I'm Maikki,"

"Mikey? Like a boy?"

"Maikki, like a Finnish woman," She grinned, shaking the hand of the gangly youth who had semi-insulted her. "I'm going to try to remember names, but there's fifty people here,"

"Don't worry, we'll remind you," The youth said, as the somewhat attractive sandy-haired motocross rider - he had to be - said, "I'll make sure you don't forget,"

Maik felt her frown deepen again as she glanced up at the younger guy. It wasn't worth following up on, but the comment had been very strangely phrased. 

As the groups started to form - advanced, advanced intermediate, intermediate, intermediate light, and "fuck, you're fucking fast" - the riders were instructed to stand with those who had like times as them. Maikki, Vale, Luca, Andrea, and Dylan had run sub-1:27:3's, the rest of the professional riders sub-1:28. Uccio was in the advanced intermediate class with the other pair of professional MX racers, which had a 1:28 - 1:30 spread. The intermediate class was 1:30 - 1:35, and the intermediate light was everyone else.

Finally, Valentino managed to extricate himself from the southern blonde's grasp to join the "fuck, you're fucking fast" group - which Colin was calling "fyff," pronounced like "fife," for expediency's sake. 

"Comfy there, kultaseni?" Maik asked in Italian, her snarky tone getting a snort of laughter from Valentino's younger brother.

"I'm worried, do you want to come sleep with us tonight, Maik?" Andrea asked suggestively, poking Maikki's shoulder. 

"Hey, some of us don't speak aye-talian, and would like to also make fun of Valentino," Redding wasn’t talking about himself, even though his “aye-talian” was just about as intelligible as his thick English accent. 

"Go for it, Scott," Maikki waved, sparing Vale a glare. He was pulling on his earring as he looked at her, an eyebrow quirked even as he laughed with the guys about their quips of him stealing all the women. 

"Are you really that bothered by her?" He asked quietly as the quips died down, his hand on her waist as he pretended to listen to Colin about the drills they would be doing.

"Decently."

"That's not fair," He murmured, his chin perched on her head. "Let's talk about it,"

"After I get some anger out on the track." She touched her gloved fingers to his, letting him wrap his fingers between hers as they waited patiently, watching Mike Meyers show them the drills they would be working on. It was all very foundational, something Valentino pushed himself and the riders to focus on at the Ranch all the time, but Maikki still appreciated it.

An hour later, she was drenched in sweat as she pulled her helmet off, leaning her bike on its kickstand on the clay as the group answered the lunch bell. 

Maik found herself at a lunch table in the saloon with Mattia, Colin, and a trio of young enthusiasts. Introductions were made, and when the kids were done being sufficiently awestruck, they settled in to their brisket.

"So Maikki, how long have you been riding?" It was the same sandy-haired twenty-something as before, who had made the snide comment. Maikki looked up from her plate, an eyebrow quirked.

"Since I was a kid, I was five when I got a minibike. So, more than twenty years."

"Thirty. That's embarrassing," Mattia laughed, leaning back in his chair as he seemed to consider a fresh plate of food.

"Forty years." Colin managed through a mouthful of creamed corn. She was going to have to go on a run at some point this weekend, she mused as she pushed around her mac and cheese on the plate, considering it as the kids offered up their ten and fifteen years of experience. 

"What do you prefer to ride?" She asked, finally tucking into the mac.

"FMX,"

"Like, free style? Jumps and stuff?" Maik looked up at the one who kept borderline sexually harassing her, an eyebrow lifted as he nodded. His name, she remembered, was Jason. "So you do tricks?"

"Later this year I'm going to Pastrana's ranch to learn to backflip,"

"That kid. He's insane," Colin interjected, gesturing with his fork. "He can't hardly walk any more but he still gets on a bike and throws it in the air."

"Not for me. I've got a decent whip and that's all." Maikki shrugged, reaching for her water. "I'm under contract to not take unnecessary risks,"

"What do you do?" The table was silent as Jason asked his question, Mattia and Colin staring at him in disbelief. Maikki muttered an ‘excuse me,’ prompting him to repeat his question.

"Dude, Maikki's a MotoGP champion," The oldest rider at the table, a man named George, offered, trying to help the kid dig out of his own grave. Come to think of it, the pair looked like they were related - maybe father and son? 

"Oh, fuck, I thought you were just Rossi's girlfriend or some shit," He said, prompting Maikki to curse in Finnish as she mashed a forkful of mac and cheese against the plate. "You are, though, right?"

"Kid, lay off. No need to -"

"No, Colin, it's fine. It would be so great to run a 1:27:17 just by being Valentino's girlfriend. The world would be full of wonderful female riders," She sighed, setting her fork down. Her appetite was gone, as was her patience with the kid. "I'm going to go change."

Valentino watched her with a sharp eye as she tossed her paper plate, complimenting Colin's wife on the quality of her barbecue on her way out of the Saloon.


	30. Chapter 30

Maikki was struggling with her chest protector - which had decided to get tangled with her ponytail for the first time in history - when the door to the bedroom popped open.

"Need some help there, cara mia?"

"I've got it," She grumbled, freeing herself and tossing the apparatus down onto her side of the bed. "What?"

"What do you mean, what?" He asked, leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Why are you here?"

"This is my room,"

"I mean right now, Valentino," She looked up from her chest protector, frowning. "I'm frustrated with you,"

"That's why I'm here," Vale unfurled his arms, holding them open to her. "Come here, cara mia," 

Maikki balked for a moment, staring at the man as she tried to puzzle out his expression. He called her name softly and she found herself crossing the room to tuck herself against his chest, unclasped boots flapping around her calves. He wrapped his arms firmly around her shoulders, tucking her into his chest. 

“Maikki, what am I going to do with you?” He asked quietly, his lips against the top of her head. She could feel his breath as it stirred her hair. “Why are you upset? Because of the blonde girl?”

“A young, blonde motorcycle enthusiast? Why would I be worried,” Maikki joked bitterly as Vale tipped her chin up. 

“I have a young, blonde motorcycle enthusiast. She’s quite a handful, and I love her for it. Why would I throw that away for... someone who wears makeup to a dirt track?”

“I’ll have you know I, too, am wearing makeup,” She laughed, letting him press his lips to hers.

“Oh, god, not nearly as much. She was this far from my face,” He pulled back just a little, staring at her wide-eyed as he focused on her face. “You are covered in dirt,”

“You are too, hani. Makes me miss Tavullia dust, this stuff.” Vale tucked his fingers under her chin and pulled her face to his again, planting his mouth firmly against hers. His tongue teased hers as he started to slowly push her back toward the bed, strategically stepping on the toes of her boots to strip them off her feet. She made a small noise of protest as he worked at her belt, starting to undo it. 

“Vale, right now?” She wasn’t telling him to stop, just questioning his timing. They were due at the track soon - even though she had decided to abduct Gale and go shooting instead of returning to test. 

“Whenever I can,” He murmured into her lips, pulling her pants down and off. 

“Va-le,” She emphasized each syllable as he sunk his lips onto her clit, fiddling with the belt of his pants so he could rip them down. “Fuck, is that door locked?”

“No locks,” He murmured into her skin, adding a finger as he teased her. She propped herself on an elbow to reach for his curly head, indulging in watching his hand stroke his cock to hardness before he pressed the smooth head against her. No locks made the whole thing feel scandalous as he pressed inside her slowly, his lips reaching for hers. Maikki dug her fingers into his hair, their lips crashing together. 

His hips pulled from hers as he began to thrust into her hard - slowness ended when he found that perfect fit. It took everything Maikki had to keep her calling his name to a quiet moan, holding his head close to hers by the soft curls around his ears. Vale swore quietly as he thrust, his bright blue eyes boring holes into hers until she let her head tip back. His teeth nipped delicately at her neck. 

She ignored the voices she could hear coming in and out of the adjacent rooms as people changed for other activities - it was just her and Vale, their skin touching, his hand holding her hip hard. 

“There!” Her voice was hoarse with desire. He knew he wanted it fast - and he knew the exact spot to find to put her right where he wanted her. Maikki shivered under his touch as he shifted his hands - one to bury in her hair, the other to tease her as he pushed into her. 

“Maikki, come for me, cara mia,” He murmured, his lips hard on her throat as she let her head fall back into his hand. 

“Valentino, Mai -“ The voice that belonged to the person who opened the door devolved into cursing as the door closed behind him. Maikki wasn’t sure who they would find pouting when they finally left the room, but she also didn’t care as Valentino laughed against her lips, still guiding her gently toward her end with his hard thrusts and tender fingers. 

“Mai-kki,” It was his turn to draw out he syllables in her name, gently against her throat. He was close. She was almost there. 

“Harder,”

“There?”

“Yes, fuck yes,” Maikki moaned against his ear, holding him close. She sighed as she felt the release of tension, the familiar lightheaded warmth wash over her body. 

“I love you, mia stellina,” Vale murmured, his teeth groping hear earlobe as he settled deeply inside her. She couldn’t help but smile as he pressed their bodies together, grinning against the skin between her ear and hairline. 

“I love you too, hani. Even when you’re a brat,” She giggled against his skin as he thrust into her - a little harder than she had expected. “Fuck, Vale, stop that,”

His grin was impish as he drew her up to sit against his chest, inviting her to wrap her legs around his waist so he could bear her to the bathroom. He pressed her butt against the counter for one last, long kiss before he deposited her on the toilet, still laughing at her. 

“You are just so sexy when you’re jealous,” He explained, stripping off the rest of his gear to step into the shower. 

“You’re sexy always - but you’re also a jerk,” Maikki pouted as she joined him for a rinse, enjoying the feeling of his hands as they ran down her sides. 

“I’m your jerk,” He grinned, and pressed his soaking cheek to hers. She was trying to avoid getting her hair wet, but Valentino never really cared about keeping her head dry. “And I am only your jerk,”

“I love you,” Maikki planted her lips in his, as he pushed her up against the cool marble of the shower’s wall. 


	31. Chapter 31

Dressed in street clothes and holding the hand of her legend, Maikki and Vale made their way out of the “hotel.” 

“Are you going to come back to ride?” He asked as they found their bikes out of the group of those parked in front of the saloon. 

“Maybe a little later. I’m gonna shoot with Luca. I’m still a little mad about your new blonde,” Maik murmured with a grin. Luca and Maikki were supposed to go down to the shooting area together, mainly because he was upset that she knew how to shoot and he did not.

“I only have one blonde,” His smile made her weak at the knees, and she reached to kiss his cheek. “Careful, cara mia, we wouldn’t want -“

“Everyone that follows MotoGP knows, you morons,” Luca had practically materialized behind them, a hand on each of their shoulders. 

“Isn’t she cute though? Every man staring at her, and when one woman makes eyes at -“

“Stop it, Vale. I get it.” She giggled as she touched her fingertips to his cheek, shaking her head. 

Suddenly, he swept her up into his arms, holding her tightly as he kissed her thoroughly in the middle of the camp. Wide-eyed, Maikki started at him for a long moment before she surrendered to his touch, ignoring Luca’s disgusted sigh. Finally, their lips parted, though Vale’s hand remained in her hair. 

“Better?” He asked, a curious eyebrow lifted and a smile dancing on his lips. 

“I’ll think on it,” Maik quipped, affecting her Italian with Colin’s deep southern drawl. “You gonna ride all day?” She asked, glancing over at Luca, who was impatiently tapping his foot as he waited for her to head to the shooting... gallery. 

“I’m not good at the guns,” Vale admitted with a shrug, pressing his lips to her forehead. “Maybe tomorrow, cara mia.”

It was good enough for her, and Maikki turned to sit sidesaddle on the back of Luca’s little 125, feeling the suspension dip dangerously low as they made their way to the designated shooting area where Gale was as showing a trio of kids the arsenal of weapons they could choose to shoot. 

“How are the sights on that .30-06?” Maikki had seen Alyssia, Colin’s wife, working on sighting it in when they had arrived. Gale lifted an eyebrow at the Finn, sizing her up. 

“You shot much before?” Clearly, he figured most of the Europeans were gun shy. At her side, Luca shared a similar expression, lips quirked.

“Enough to consider kneeling a firing position,” Maik quipped to the ex Marine, getting a broad grin and a clap on the back for her troubles. 

“Alright kiddo, why don’t we set you up with something a little more fun?"

Maikki's anger at being called "kiddo" soon dissipated when she saw what Gale was about to set her up with - a long, black .338 Lapua sniper rifle, which she would be shooting from the bed of a pickup truck. He set the rest of the group up with a few handguns, which Colin's wife herself was overseeing, and returned to Maikki. 

"How far out do you think?"

"How far can we get?" Maikki asked, looking downrange, away from the targets. "Anyone worth the rounds can probably sight in to at least 800 yards,"

"I think the most we can get today is going to be 500 yards, and we're going to have to clear the range for that." Gale stood beside her, scratching his head with the same hand he held his cap in.

"I'll take it."

"Let's get you set up, and we'll clear the range in... what, half an hour?"

After playing with handguns, a fun .22 rifle, and sighting in the 338 at closer range for an hour, Maikki sat on the side of the truck as Gale drove it roughly 500 yards downrange, getting the attention of her Italian Champion from the track. Maik was adjusting the padding in the back of the truck when Vale and Colin rode up.

"What're you getting yourself into, girl?" Colin asked, riding alongside the truck slowly, a foot out to keep him from tipping over. "I didn't think you Euro kids could shoot,"

"Ah, but I'm from Finland. We are like the rednecks of Europe." She laughed as the truck came to a stop.

Maikki attracted quite a crowd as she started to sight in the gun for the longer target, with comments from Colin about how this was probably one of the longest shot attempts the property had seen during a camp. Alyssia would regularly shoot from 480 yards, but Gale had managed to get Maikki about 530 out from the target - they were almost butted up to the hotel. 

"That's a big gun for a little girl," That Jason kid was starting to be a thorn in her side, Maikki thought as she fixed him with what she hoped was a withering glare before she accepted a round from Gale to chamber. She settled into her firing position before she pulled the bolt back, chambering her round as she settled the gun into her shoulder.

It wasn't the longest shot she had ever taken, and wasn't even the first 338 she had shot. But generally, she didn't have an audience when she shot, and certainly had never shot in front of so many people. Behind her, she knew Valentino was leaning on the back of the truck, filming her shot. Maikki breathed deeply, settled in, let the breath out, and fired.

"Hit, but high." Gale was nodding with his lips pursed in appreciation as he passed her another round. 

Maikki repeated the process, breathing deeply before she fired, letting the air seep from her lungs as she squeezed the trigger.

"That was fucking nice," He passed her another round. "Center mass, confirmed kill. Go for a head shot."

Later that night, with beers around the campfire, the group buzzed about their first day of riding, shooting, what-have you. Maikki sat sideways, her feet dangling over the arm of her chair as she discussed the trail ride she had embarked on after her 338 shoot with Hayes, Colin's 18-year old who was just starting to shine on flat tracks - so much so that Valentino was thinking of signing him to SkyTeam.

"It coulda been drier, I think," Hayes shrugged, rolling a soda can in his hands. Maikki had seen him with beers before the camp started, but now that there were clients around, Colin was all business. And anti-lawsuit.

"I like the mud. It's a challenge."

"I get that, but sometimes I just want an easy trail ride," Hayes admitted, glancing around the fire at the group of riders. The blonde girl, who's name Maikki was refusing to remember, was hovering near Valentino as he recounted some tale or another about his younger years near the grill that Colin was manning. Edwards was churning out hot dogs and hamburgers that went almost directly into the mouths of the hungry masses, though Maikki longed for a vegetable of some sort.

"There's something to that. I hear they call it relaxing,"

"What do you know about that?" The sandy-haired youth asked with a laugh, cracking his knuckles as he followed Maikki's gaze. "Man, I wish that girl would realize there are other guys here,"

"Won't stop you from throwing your hat in that ring. I think she's a little older than you," Maikki shook her head with a laugh. Apparently, there were a few more women joining the camp the next morning, who had been delayed coming into Houston from... wherever they were coming from. At least, that was what she had heard. Maik inquired with Hayes, who, as the camp director's son, should have information for her. 

"Well, yeah, but I don't know who they are. I know she's cute,"

"And what am I, chopped liver?" Maikki teased, pulling the front of her hoodie close together so she could zip it against the evening chill.

"Too old and too scary," Maik nearly flipped her chair over trying to whack the kid as he danced away, laughing at her. "Besides, aren't you off the market?"

"No comment," Maikki waved a hand at the kid as she got to her feet, finally able to zip up her MK66 sweater as she eyed the burgers. She and Hayes continued their small talk as they walked over to the grill, Maikki commenting on how fast he was, Hayes admitting how much he still had to learn.

"That's very wise of you, you know." She said while wrapping the steaming burger in as much lettuce as she could acquire. "Most kids your age don't think of that - myself included. I thought I was ready for GP when I joined Moto3."

"You were younger then, though. 16, right?"

"16, hotheaded, stupid. I would have won the championship in 2011 if I had focused less on being fast and more on being good."

"You were good, cara mia," Valentino reached across her shoulder for a chip as he sunk into the chair beside her. "And you are too, Hayes. Have you thought about moving to Moto3?"

"Before I'm too old, you mean?" He asked with a laugh through a mouth of hamburger. 


	32. Chapter 32

The camp rose early, but Maikki rose earlier. She couldn't help it. Even though she was a little hungover, she still found herself with her yoga mat, finding a flat place to greet the day before the rest of the camp roused. She found her spot across from the Hotel and unrolled her mat, propping her phone in her shoe so she could record her flow.

It was chilly, dewy, and still decently dark out as Maikki began her first sun salutations, and she wore one of Valentino's hoodies until she had worked hard enough to be warm and shed it. She noted a low whistle, and glanced up at the porch of the hotel as she twisted, catching a glimpse of her lover standing with Colin and a few of the other old timers, each with a cup of coffee. Maik shook her head ruefully as she pressed into a forearm stand, twisting her legs into an eagle-esque position before she unfurled, pressed into a handstand, and dropped over into wheel.

The guys were still chatting when she wrapped up, sitting in front of the saloon. Breakfast wasn't for another half hour, but the kitchen was stirring, as was the hotel. Maikki reached for Valentino's coffee, her mat tucked under her arm as she leaned on the arm of his chair.

"That's really something else, Maikki," Colin drawled, saluting her with his cup. "You always done that?"

"Yeah, it helps me stay calm. Steady breathing, that sort of thing." She set her mat down, leaning it against the chair near her feet.

"And the handstands?" 

"They look cool," She admitted with a shrug as Vale wrapped his arm around her waist, giving her a squeeze before he took back his coffee to finish. "Want a refill?"

"There's a pot in the kitchen," Colin waved a hand, propping his feet on Valentino's chair as he left it empty. Maikki took his mug and trailed behind Valentino into the kitchen. They chatted in Italian as they waited for a fresh pot.

"Colin is interested,"

"Interested in what?" Maik raised an eyebrow, toying with the empty mug in her hands. 

"The usual. How we got together. Asked a particularly rough question about how long I'll stay with you." Maikki looked away from Vale for a moment, toward the door. There were other Italian speakers around, they just didn't seem to be awake yet.

"I figured out of everyone, he might care the least," She murmured, looking back up at his three-day stubble. "He seems... chill?"

"Ah, but we were teammates, cara mia. He saw the late nights and the early mornings." Maikki pressed her fingers to his cheek tenderly, shaking her head.

"Does it matter? If he had an opinion I don't want to hear it,"

"I care. I care that people think I'm just going to throw you away,"

"That might not be all your fault, really." She sighed, and dropped her hand. He caught her fingers in his, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, come on Vale, think about it,"

"I've got fifteen years of experience on you."

"It's not fair to get in a dick measuring contest over this, Vale," Maikki murmured, looking up at him. He kissed the side of her forehead with a sad half-smile, pulling her close to him by the hand. "Why does it get to you?"

"Because I love you, Maik." 

"So? Be secure in that." She wrapped an arm around his narrow waist, holding him close. "I try to be."

"She says, while also envious of the paint-faced girl who ran over a 1:40 on the track," He chided, resting his chin on top of her head. Maikki couldn't help but giggle over the absurdity of her jealousy, especially in the face of the women who were around Vale normally - model types, from umbrella girls to actual models for his clothing collection, and fans ranging from average housewives to supermodels looking for their next millionaire playboy boyfriend. "I think it's because we focus on not looking like we're together. I think I could be closer to you - touch you, even - when we were just friends. I don't like that."

Maikki paused to think, her chin propped on his collarbone. It wasn’t the first time he had said it, and it wasn’t the first time she had tried to be better about being less distant. Last time was in front of their friends, and she had done better, but this time they were surrounded by strangers. It was difficult for the slightly introverted Finn to reconcile logically, but she knew she wanted to be close to Valentino always, so she had to overcome her inner introvert in a way she had never needed to before. 

"Then... don't? Focus on that, I think. When you want to hold me, do."

"Oh?" 

"Yep. I mean, don't go mad, but..." He pressed his lips to hers, cutting off her thought. They stayed pressed together for a long minute, her hands grasping the front of his shirt hard as he gripped a handful of her ass. 

The pair returned to the gathering of chairs outside with three fresh mugs, and Maikki perched on one of Vale's knees as she sipped her steaming cup. 

"Maik, the guys tell me you're something of a cook," Alyssia leaned on the back of her husband's chair, her forearms braced against Colin's back.

"Professional chef, honey," Colin's correction was gentle as he stroked his wife's hand. 

"I like to cook." Maikki shrugged, focusing on her mug. "It's how I supported myself in Moto2 and stuff, actually."

"How's that? You didn't have sponsors?"

"Bikes are more expensive than when you were in Moto2, Colin." She looked up at him with a quirked eyebrow. "And I had to help pay my crew. So I cooked."

"She was my nutritionist, for a while," Vale added, leaning back with one hand on her waist, the other holding the top of his mug on top of his knee.

"Until you threatened to fire me!"

"Then you quit anyway!"

"Did not!"

"Kids, kids." Colin laughed, waving a hand at the pair to stop their bickering. "You threatened to fire her for what?"

"We invited her for a GP test. She wasn't going to do it. So I told her if she didn't, I'd have to fire her. Then she was too busy with GP to cook for poor old Valentino," Vale pouted animatedly, looking up at Maikki as if she had actually abandoned him.

"You absolutely knew that was going to happen," Colin nodded in agreement with Maikki.

"I did," She didn't need to look down to see his impish grin, and he squeezed her hip as riders started to come out of the hotel toward the saloon for breakfast. "I think it was a good decision,"

"It's funny to think, we have, what, twenty championships between the three of us? Probably thirty in the whole camp. More." Colin noted, sitting back in his chair to squeeze Alyssia's hand before she trailed back inside to manage the kitchen.

"These two far and away have the most," Maik heard Scott pad up behind them, leaning his elbow on Maikki's head. "Twelve and... Five?"

"Is it even fair to count Valentino?" Luca asked from the other side, blowing on a mug of coffee. 


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I am so sorry all, I went on (a socially distant) vacation and blissfully forgot about everything going on on the world. And to update my stories.

The riders were slower to assemble that morning, after a night filled with drinking and tall tales. Maikki had to admit to herself how much she was enjoying her time at the camp, despite the drama, however slight that was. Though, she also had to admit that more than the blonde that was in love with Valentino - who sat in a folding chair at her side, his fingers wrapped in hers as he told a story about racing with Nicky - was the kid Jason, who was now purposefully treating her like an inferior. 

The guys were starting to pick up on it, too. Iannone looked at Maikki askance as Jason started to explain why, exactly, it was necessary to slide the bike into the second corner than to ride through it. Maik was sitting on her little 125cc, waiting for their morning timed laps as the kid talked at her, trying to find space for patience with both eyebrows raised. 

“Thanks, Jason, is there anything else you think I should learn about racing?” She thought her sarcasm was evident, but apparently it was lost on the kid as he considered explaining something else. “Really, you should probably focus on your lap.”

“I am focused, this is me focusing,”

“I appreciate it but I need to focus.”

“I get it, you just don’t want to talk to me!”

“Something like that. Because I don’t talk to anyone before I ride.”

“That’s a lie,” He was all puffed up with his aggression, and while Maikki suddenly felt quite aware of her size on her seat, she couldn’t give in and let him know she was uncomfortable. 

“It’s not. Everyone prepares for races differently.”

“This isn’t a race, it’s a timed lap,”

“And I want to do well so I need to focus,” She stared up at the kid levelly, her hands on her knees. “I’m not kidding, I’m not avoiding you, I just need a minute to think about my route around the track. You should try it.”

“You doing ok over there?” Andrea called in Italian, waving a hand at her. 

“Yeah, just a little annoyed,” She answered in the same language, still looking up at Jason. A flurry of waving from near the start drew her attention and she started to gear up as she murmured a quick “Excuse me.”

Maik navigated her way around the gangly motocross rider to take her spot at the start, behind a line drawn on the clay in chalk spray by Colin. The Texas Tornado paused to lean on her handlebars, flipping the can over in his hand. 

“Something about that kid doesn’t sit well with me.” He murmured, holding a glove open for her to stick her hand in almost like it was a reflex. “Pay a mind when you’re around him,”

“Thanks, dad,” Maik laughed, shaking her head. “I think he’s harmless. Just a little obsessed.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about,” He said as he waved over at Andrea, motioning to put him just beside and behind Maik’s position. 

She put up an unfocused 1:27:3, by far her worst lap of the weekend, and made worse by the fact that when she went to run it a second time she fell flat on her back - spinning out in spectacular, circular fashion after her foot caught around a corner.

“You know, you wouldn’t wreck like that if you kept your foot up higher,” Jason was at the lunch table with Maik and Scott, just one table over from where Vale sat with Colin. They were trying to switch up which civs sat with which riders and their crews, but Jason kept following Maikki after grabbing food much like the blonde kept following Valentino. 

“Oh, wow, Maikki, have you ever thought of that in your decade-spanning, championship -winning career?” Scott asked facetiously, his head balanced on both fists like he was earnestly interested. “And if you twist the throttle more, the bike goes faster!”

“Who knew,” Tyler, another civilian rider, murmured, forming his barbecue into a sandwich. Maikki was just happy for the opportunity to eat some damn greens, and she scarfed a salad while the guys were nitpicking. 

“I figured being a girl would just always get me what I want,” She managed through a mouthful of leaves, not caring about being rude. 

“I think it just means you’re lighter,” Scott stole a crouton off her plate, munching on it carefully. “Ah, refined carbs. So lovely.”

“I think it just means she’s not as good. Women are always more afraid of dying. That’s because they belong -“ Maikki shoveled another forkful of lettuce into her mouth as Jason talked, knowing that the only way for her not to lose her shit was to finish her food and leave. 

“Alright, I’ve had about enough of that, babs,” Scott wasn’t looking at Jason, but at Maikki, speaking in controlled Italian through his thick accent. “He doesn’t just get to say stuff like that,”

“Evidently, he does, because when I try to get him to stop it just keeps coming out of him,” Maik frowned, setting down her fork. “It’s like he refuses to acknowledge that I’m a rider at all.”

“What’s going on over here? Why are we talking foreign?” Colin leaned back in his chair, turning to see the table behind him. The other trio of riders that sat at the table - including Tyler - looked incredibly embarrassed, and Maikki knew the look on her face was dark because it was reflected in Vale’s face on the far side of the table Colin leaned away from. Maikki waved a hand at his question, but Scott glared angrily as he leaned over her to look at Colin. 

“Yeah, this kid refuses to stop giving Maikki race advice. I’m pretty sure he was about to say her place was in the fucking kitchen,”

“Is that true? Justin, right?” Colin’s eyes were narrowed with the first spark of anger Maikki had seen from the former MotoGP pilot. “Listen, I think this is the first time I’ve had to tell a guest about respecting other guests, especially people they’re here to learn from,” 

“But I didn’t think I was coming here to learn from a chick.” Jason was surprisingly quick on the draw under pressure, especially since the whole room seemed to be looking at him now. Actually, he seemed to grow under the pressure, thriving on it. Sure, that was a good trait in motor sports, but his arrogance wasn’t. “Especially not the broken one.”

It was like the air sucked out of the room with the collective gasp of shocks, of men preparing to defend her. Maikki held up a hand to her friends, taking a deep, steadying breath of her own. It was time for her to defend herself, even if she didn’t think she liked where that was going to end up. 

“I appreciate your concern, but I think I’m not broken. Actually, the only reason I’ve put up with this so far is because I remember being an arrogant little prick when I started racing. We all were, to an extent. But I think you’re starting to take it too far, Jason.” She paused for emphasis, taking a sip of her water. “Listen, you can take issue with me as a rider, that’s fine. Not everyone likes my style, and my style doesn’t work for everyone on the track. But it’s not your place to take issue with me as a woman. Greater men than you have tried.”

“Tried and?” Jason had colored a little, enough for Maikki to recognize that he was feeling backed into a corner. She shook her head. 

“I think that’s enough for now. Let’s take a cooldown. I’ll see you out on the track.”

Maikki stood and collected her plate and utensils off the table to toss on her way out to the porch. She wanted to have a quiet moment with her water before she headed back to the bikes, to see if she could get her head in straight. She plopped into one of the rockers, leaning back with her head tilted toward the sky. 

Really, his insistence that she wasn’t good enough to be a professional because she was a woman was annoying but it hadn’t been worth that glowering look on his face, the one that absolutely spelled trouble. Discrimination based on her sex wasn’t unusual to the rider. The fact that her skills didn’t speak for themselves to someone so grossly under qualified to judge them was. Though, she had been genuinely curious to see why he thought women shouldn’t race before he was interrupted by Scott. She had never truly gotten an answer to that question. 

As she thought, focused on her breathing, someone sat in the rocker beside her. She could hear it creaking as it rocked. Maikki suspected it was Valentino, who would have recognized her need for a quiet moment, so when she opened her eyes to see that it wasn’t him, she was surprised. 

“Colin,” 

“Maik,” His slight mispronunciation of her name made her smile faintly as she took a sip of her water. He pronounced it like a boy’s name punctuated by his drawl, but she didn’t hate it. She had heard Americans do worse in the hopes of not offending her. 

“What’s up?”

“Oh, you know. Taking a breather while a kid gets a stern talking to.”

“Who’s giving him a stern talking to?” She asked, watching as he put a fresh lip of dip in. Dipping fascinated her - so incredibly American, so incredibly gross - but it wasn’t something she was interested in trying. 

“I think they’re taking turns,” Colin said with a laugh, hands behind his head. “I’m kidding. His dad took him out back. Your boys weren’t too pleased.”

“They would be. I’ve beaten them up so much they’re protective of me,” Maik joked, assuming Colin meant the group of riders she hung out with most frequently. She sighed deeply, rubbing her temple with her free hand. “I just... I’m nervous about it now. That look...”

“I know, Maik. I’m thinking he’s just a hotheaded kid. No harm.”

“I hope you’re right. I’ve been around a lot of hotheaded kids. And none of them have hated me quite so much.” Maikki straightened to lean her elbows on her knees. “Well, at least now I’ll get to focus. Could make for a better lap.”

“Yeah, that why you’re falling?” Colin asked with a mischievous wink. Together the pair stood, Maikki stretching as they walked to retrieve their bikes from the cacophony of little 125ccs parked beside the saloon in no particular order, and made their way back to the track.


	34. Chapter 34

The riders were slower to assemble that morning, after a night filled with drinking and tall tales. Maikki had to admit to herself how much she was enjoying her time at the camp, despite the drama, however slight that was. Though, she also had to admit that more than the blonde that was in love with Valentino - who sat in a folding chair at her side, his fingers wrapped in hers as he told a story about racing with Nicky - was the kid Jason, who was now purposefully treating her like an inferior. 

The guys were starting to pick up on it, too. Iannone looked at Maikki askance as Jason started to explain why, exactly, it was necessary to slide the bike into the second corner than to ride through it. Maik was sitting on her little 125cc, waiting for their morning timed laps as the kid talked at her, trying to find space for patience with both eyebrows raised. 

“Thanks, Jason, is there anything else you think I should learn about racing?” She thought her sarcasm was evident, but apparently it was lost on the kid as he considered explaining something else. “Really, you should probably focus on your lap.”

“I am focused, this is me focusing,”

“I appreciate it but I need to focus.”

“I get it, you just don’t want to talk to me!”

“Something like that. Because I don’t talk to anyone before I ride.”

“That’s a lie,” He was all puffed up with his aggression, and while Maikki suddenly felt quite aware of her size on her seat, she couldn’t give in and let him know she was uncomfortable. 

“It’s not. Everyone prepares for races differently.”

“This isn’t a race, it’s a timed lap,”

“And I want to do well so I need to focus,” She stared up at the kid levelly, her hands on her knees. “I’m not kidding, I’m not avoiding you, I just need a minute to think about my route around the track. You should try it.”

“You doing ok over there?” Andrea called in Italian, waving a hand at her. 

“Yeah, just a little annoyed,” She answered in the same language, still looking up at Jason. A flurry of waving from near the start drew her attention and she started to gear up as she murmured a quick “Excuse me.”

Maik navigated her way around the gangly motocross rider to take her spot at the start, behind a line drawn on the clay in chalk spray by Colin. The Texas Tornado paused to lean on her handlebars, flipping the can over in his hand. 

“Something about that kid doesn’t sit well with me.” He murmured, holding a glove open for her to stick her hand in almost like it was a reflex. “Pay a mind when you’re around him,”

“Thanks, dad,” Maik laughed, shaking her head. “I think he’s harmless. Just a little obsessed.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about,” He said as he waved over at Andrea, motioning to put him just beside and behind Maik’s position. 

She put up an unfocused 1:27:3, by far her worst lap of the weekend, and made worse by the fact that when she went to run it a second time she fell flat on her back - spinning out in spectacular, circular fashion after her foot caught around a corner.

“You know, you wouldn’t wreck like that if you kept your foot up higher,” Jason was at the lunch table with Maik and Scott, just one table over from where Vale sat with Colin. They were trying to switch up which civs sat with which riders and their crews, but Jason kept following Maikki after grabbing food much like the blonde kept following Valentino. 

“Oh, wow, Maikki, have you ever thought of that in your decade-spanning, championship -winning career?” Scott asked facetiously, his head balanced on both fists like he was earnestly interested. “And if you twist the throttle more, the bike goes faster!”

“Who knew,” Tyler, another civilian rider, murmured, forming his barbecue into a sandwich. Maikki was just happy for the opportunity to eat some damn greens, and she scarfed a salad while the guys were nitpicking. 

“I figured being a girl would just always get me what I want,” She managed through a mouthful of leaves, not caring about being rude. 

“I think it just means you’re lighter,” Scott stole a crouton off her plate, munching on it carefully. “Ah, refined carbs. So lovely.”

“I think it just means she’s not as good. Women are always more afraid of dying. That’s because they belong -“ Maikki shoveled another forkful of lettuce into her mouth as Jason talked, knowing that the only way for her not to lose her shit was to finish her food and leave. 

“Alright, I’ve had about enough of that, babs,” Scott wasn’t looking at Jason, but at Maikki, speaking in controlled Italian through his thick accent. “He doesn’t just get to say stuff like that,”

“Evidently, he does, because when I try to get him to stop it just keeps coming out of him,” Maik frowned, setting down her fork. “It’s like he refuses to acknowledge that I’m a rider at all.”

“What’s going on over here? Why are we talking foreign?” Colin leaned back in his chair, turning to see the table behind him. The other trio of riders that sat at the table - including Tyler - looked incredibly embarrassed, and Maikki knew the look on her face was dark because it was reflected in Vale’s face on the far side of the table Colin leaned away from. Maikki waved a hand at his question, but Scott glared angrily as he leaned over her to look at Colin. 

“Yeah, this kid refuses to stop giving Maikki race advice. I’m pretty sure he was about to say her place was in the fucking kitchen,”

“Is that true? Justin, right?” Colin’s eyes were narrowed with the first spark of anger Maikki had seen from the former MotoGP pilot. “Listen, I think this is the first time I’ve had to tell a guest about respecting other guests, especially people they’re here to learn from,” 

“But I didn’t think I was coming here to learn from a chick.” Jason was surprisingly quick on the draw under pressure, especially since the whole room seemed to be looking at him now. Actually, he seemed to grow under the pressure, thriving on it. Sure, that was a good trait in motor sports, but his arrogance wasn’t. “Especially not the broken one.”

It was like the air sucked out of the room with the collective gasp of shocks, of men preparing to defend her. Maikki held up a hand to her friends, taking a deep, steadying breath of her own. It was time for her to defend herself, even if she didn’t think she liked where that was going to end up. 

“I appreciate your concern, but I think I’m not broken. Actually, the only reason I’ve put up with this so far is because I remember being an arrogant little prick when I started racing. We all were, to an extent. But I think you’re starting to take it too far, Jason.” She paused for emphasis, taking a sip of her water. “Listen, you can take issue with me as a rider, that’s fine. Not everyone likes my style, and my style doesn’t work for everyone on the track. But it’s not your place to take issue with me as a woman. Greater men than you have tried.”

“Tried and?” Jason had colored a little, enough for Maikki to recognize that he was feeling backed into a corner. She shook her head. 

“I think that’s enough for now. Let’s take a cooldown. I’ll see you out on the track.”

Maikki stood and collected her plate and utensils off the table to toss on her way out to the porch. She wanted to have a quiet moment with her water before she headed back to the bikes, to see if she could get her head in straight. She plopped into one of the rockers, leaning back with her head tilted toward the sky. 

Really, his insistence that she wasn’t good enough to be a professional because she was a woman was annoying but it hadn’t been worth that glowering look on his face, the one that absolutely spelled trouble. Discrimination based on her sex wasn’t unusual to the rider. The fact that her skills didn’t speak for themselves to someone so grossly under qualified to judge them was. Though, she had been genuinely curious to see why he thought women shouldn’t race before he was interrupted by Scott. She had never truly gotten an answer to that question. 

As she thought, focused on her breathing, someone sat in the rocker beside her. She could hear it creaking as it rocked. Maikki suspected it was Valentino, who would have recognized her need for a quiet moment, so when she opened her eyes to see that it wasn’t him, she was surprised. 

“Colin,” 

“Maik,” His slight mispronunciation of her name made her smile faintly as she took a sip of her water. He pronounced it like a boy’s name punctuated by his drawl, but she didn’t hate it. She had heard Americans do worse in the hopes of not offending her. 

“What’s up?”

“Oh, you know. Taking a breather while a kid gets a stern talking to.”

“Who’s giving him a stern talking to?” She asked, watching as he put a fresh lip of dip in. Dipping fascinated her - so incredibly American, so incredibly gross - but it wasn’t something she was interested in trying. 

“I think they’re taking turns,” Colin said with a laugh, hands behind his head. “I’m kidding. His dad took him out back. Your boys weren’t too pleased.”

“They would be. I’ve beaten them up so much they’re protective of me,” Maik joked, assuming Colin meant the group of riders she hung out with most frequently. She sighed deeply, rubbing her temple with her free hand. “I just... I’m nervous about it now. That look...”

“I know, Maik. I’m thinking he’s just a hotheaded kid. No harm.”

“I hope you’re right. I’ve been around a lot of hotheaded kids. And none of them have hated me quite so much.” Maikki straightened to lean her elbows on her knees. “Well, at least now I’ll get to focus. Could make for a better lap.”

“Yeah, that why you’re falling?” Colin asked with a mischievous wink. Together the pair stood, Maikki stretching as they walked to retrieve their bikes from the cacophony of little 125ccs parked beside the saloon in no particular order, and made their way back to the track.


	35. Chapter 35

"That's not bad, Luca," Maikki leaned with her forearms braced against Luca's shoulders as he sat in a folding chair, watching a clip of his most recent timed lap. People were still chasing after better times on the lit track under the protection of the big corrugated metal roof, but she reckoned that would die down when the dinner bell rung.

"It's that fifth turn, the right-hander."

"It's tough. I went into it still shifted from the chicane and that's where I fell," She gestured, with one hand, mimicking the turn. "It's like I know it's coming but I always forget and shift at the last minute."

"Maybe we'll get it tomorrow."

"Here's hoping." Maik straightened to accept a beer from Tyler, who was handing them around to the group from the armload he was bearing. She cracked the beer as she leaned against Luca's back, working on hijacking the bluetooth speakers around to play some music quietly in the background, to compliment the swearing of Andrea and Mav as they tried to get the fire going in the pit between the chairs. 

"Ugh, do we have to listen to this? I hate this music," Maikki could hear the blonde girl complain from where she was planted in a folding chair next to Valentino. It was incredible, really, every single person at the camp wanted their turn to chat with the GOAT of MotoGP, but this girl had managed to stay close to him for the majority of the weekend. It would be impressive if it didn't still annoy Maik.

Speaking of annoying, Maik surveyed the group, hoping to get eyes on Jason so he couldn't sneak up on her. She hadn't spoken to him since lunch, but it wasn't like lunch was that long ago. Time wouldn't have healed his wounded ego yet, so he was still a danger to her. Instead, she locked eyes with her boyfriend as he smiled at her.

"I love this music," He was answering the blonde, letting his eye contact linger before he turned back to her. "It's Maikki's favorite,"

She tuned back out of the conversation, still smiling like an idiot she knew. That man knew exactly how to get to her. Maik patted Luca's head and wandered over to where Colin was manning the grill, rolling hot dogs around on the heat.

"Need any help?" She offered, watching the burgers approach medium rare under the bright floodlight that lit the grill area. 

"I guess you could cut up the veggie shit people like," He pointed to the array at his side with his spatula, indicating a dull knife, a head of iceberg, and some tomatoes. 

"You know, this knife needs a sharpening," Maik murmured, as she started on the food, making short work of the pile of tomatoes. 

"You could cut 'em with your tongue," Colin laughed, reaching for the cheese. Maik began to unwrap slices of the nasty stuff to pass to him. 

"I'm no Cal Crutchlow, Colin." She mused as she passed him another slice of cheese, chasing down a wrapped with her foot to toss in the trash. "Alright, are you set for a few? I'm going to run to the loo,"

Colin waved her off, and Maikki made her way back to the hotel, aiming to clean up before dinner. Her face was still covered in a thin layer of red clay that was turning into mud in the heat, and there were face wipes in her bag that could solve the problem. 

Feeling fresh after washing her face and changing her shirt - and clutching the VR46 zip-up she was fond of to guard against the chill - Maik made her way out of the bedroom and nearly body checked Jason. 

“Excuse me,” She murmured, shifting to the far side of the hallway to step past him. He stepped in her way. She slid to the other side. He stepped in her way. 

“What do you want, Jason?” Maik asked, very uncomfortable with the situation. There was still something dark in his light eyes, something she didn’t like. 

“I want an apology.” He said firmly, grabbing her upper arm as she tried to step back. His hand was big enough to fit almost all the way around her bicep. 

“What do I need to apologize for?” She asked, trying to figure out her next move over the clanging of alarm bells in her head. This kid was much bigger than her, and he had her trapped in a narrow hallway. 

“For not taking my advice,” His other hand pinned her to the wall by the shoulder, and Maikki gasped as the wind was knocked from her lungs. “For being such a little bitch,” His arm was pinned against her chest, and he grabbed her breast roughly. “So I’m going to take what I deserve from you, you little bitch,”

With no time to think, Maikki let her body take control. A feral shriek tore out of her as he groped her, and she kicked him in the knee, darting aside as he let her go. 

Jason grabbed a handful as he went down, swearing angrily, pulling her down with it even as the fabric ripped. Still shouting for help - god she hoped the guys could hear her over the music - Maikki doggedly kicked at her attacker, getting him twice in the face and forcing him to let go as she scrambled toward the stairs. 

Hands closed around her ankle, pulling her back even as she lashed out, and she realized he was yelling just as loudly as she was. There was no way anyone missed the noise as she tried to free herself from his grasp, pushing her bare foot against his hands around her ankle as she grabbed the toe of the stair. Maik cling to the stair, wondering how long she could manage to fight the kid before she ran out of steam. Being yanked by the ankle as she held onto a stair hardly seemed like having the upper hand, and one of her hands was starting to come loose. Did she risk resetting her grip, leaving her one handed on the stair?

She heard a shout from downstairs and answered it with her own. Jason, knowing his time was almost up, gave one final yank, and broke Maikki’s failing grip on the stair. She still held on desperately with one hand, and managed to land one blow on his chin before several people barreled up the stairs and past her toward her attacker. 

Someone pulled her into their arms, and by the drawl she could tell it was Colin. Hyperventilating from her fight or flight response, Maikki knew it wasn’t long before she started to cry, and she shook her head as she tried to pull herself together. She wasn’t in Colin’s grasp long - maybe seconds - before she was passed to a familiar set of hands. Her favorite hands, she would have noted as Vale whispered sweet nothings into her ear, stroking her hair back from her face as he clasped her tightly to his chest. 

“It’s ok now Maikki, it’s ok. I’m here,” Maikki let one shaking sob escape her lips as Valentino pulled her into his lap on the stairs, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist. She couldn’t see who had gotten there first, who was dealing with Jason, but she was aware of a quiet conversation on a radio in Colin’s hand. 

“Come on, cara mia, let’s go in our room. Let’s go sit down.” She let Valentino help her up, resisting the urge to say she was fine. She was absolutely not fine, that much she knew. Not after that. 

“What will they do with him?”

“Alyssia called the police when we heard shouting. They’ll be here soon,” Vale sat cross-legged next to her on the bed, an arm over her shoulders. “If we don’t kill him first,”

His murmur was dark as he pressed his lips against her temple, pulling her close to his chest again. She let herself crumple against him, her Italian. He held her tightly as she sobbed, tying a little knot in her tank top to hold it up as he stroked her back. She didn’t know how long they had sat in the hall, or how long it had been since her confrontation there as she sobbed against his chest, leaving little marks from her mascara on his gray shirt. Something Christina had provided her with, the stuff was intensely waterproof, so she had to cry pretty hard to make it come off. 

Maikki had just long enough to pull herself together before light tapping at the door drew Valentino away. Shaking, she walked to the bathroom to splash water on her tearstained face. She could hear him murmuring as she ran the tap, but couldn't make out what was being said.

"Stellina," Vale was behind her, leaning in the doorway of the bathroom. Maik blotted her face with a hand towel, looking up at him. "The police want to talk to you,"

“Could today get any better?” She murmured, reaching for his hand. He twined his fingers in hers and stepped into her, holding her to his chest in the protective circle of his arms. Maik breathed a shuddering sigh, shaking against his chest. 

“It’s alright, cara mia. Take your time.” 

“I’m ok. I mean... I can do this.” She looked up at Vale, disliking the pity in his eyes as he wiped under hers with his thumb. Maybe it was more concern. “Can they come in here?”

“Si, stellina. Ready for me to go get them?” 

“Yeah, hand me my sweater.”

“They’re just going to make you take it off to look at the bruises,”

“I know, but it’ll be nice until then,” She murmured, rising on her tiptoes to steal a kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Maikki. So much.”


End file.
